Amie
by headbandfreak
Summary: Bella and Edward are in a relationship.But when Bella gets pregnant, Edward freaks out. He leaves her a letter with five hundred dollars attached to it. Five years later, they have to see each other again... All human..
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or the characters. I just love them:)

Chapter One

"Dad, please! For the hundredth time! I can't."

He was choosing to ignore me, and he was talking about how he was right, how I should do what he said. I was stubborn, really stubborn if I say so myself, but I was nothing when compared to him. We were talking for the last hour, and it looked like we would continue for another couple of hours unless one of us got really angry and hang up.

"You're letting him influence your life again. You're making your choices according to him! Just, oh God, just get over it."

He was saying the same thing over and over again getting the same answer from me every time.

"Dad, I don't want to live in the same town with him. I don't want to see his face. I don't want Amie in that town, either. You can always visit us. It's not that far. Please dad…"

"How the hell are you going to manage working and raising Amie at the same time, Bella? Could you even manage to find a job? Tell me once again!" I rolled my eyes so many times today that they started to hurt.

"I don't have a job yet, but I'm going to find one. And there are lots of kindergartens for Amie." I said calmly, but my beloved daddy was nowhere near calm.

"She is barely four, Bella. She needs someone who loves her with her. Your job is waiting for you here, and Sue said she would love to take care of Amie!"

I was really tired of this conversation. It was going off since I graduated in the beginning of the summer. My dad couldn't take no for an answer, and I was determined not to say yes.

"Bella, let me take care of you sweetheart.. I miss you every minute of everyday. I want to see my daughter and my little grandbaby with me. He doesn't even care, hell he didn't even care. Don't let him effect this, please. "

Shit! I was fine with tuning out yelling and commanding, but him begging was making my heart melt. I was always my daddy's little girl, and I loved him with all of my heart. He was the only guy that I trusted in the whole world. I never wanted to upset him, never… But, God, he was insistent!

"Dad, please. It's not about that asshole, ok? I just don't want to live in the same town with him. I have to go now. Take care. I love you."

I ended the call, and inhaled deeply trying to control my nerves.

" If you don't want to live in the same town with him, it means it's about him."

I turned my head to the voice and saw my roommate and bestfriend Rose holding my little sleeping angel Amie in her arms. Jumping from the sofa, I ran to them and picked up Amie's sleeping form from her arms. We were both looking for jobs, and today it was my turn for jobhunting and her turn for babysitting Amie. Believe me it's not easy looking for a job with a babbling kid with you.

"Where did you go? You weren't home when I came. I found nothing today, btw." I said while putting Amie in her bed. I was trying to change the topic. I was so sick and tired of talking about moving to Forks.

Rose arched one of her perfect eyebrows indicating that it was not unnoticed that I tried to change the topic, rather unsuccessfully if I may add.

"She wanted ice cream, and we didn't have any. So we went out."

I opened my mouth to object, but she cut me in.

"Come on, it's April. It's not that she can get ill or something. And don't try to change the subject, missy. I understand that Charlie is still begging you to move."

I groaned and jumped into my bed ducking my head under my pillow.

"You're not an ostrich, come on." Rosalie grabbed my elbows and literally lifted me to sit.

"Yes, he is. But I'm not saying yes. He just doesn't get it."

"Actually, I don't get you Bella. You say it's not about him, but you're not moving back to Forks because you don't want to see him! That's absolutely about him!"

My eyes watered, and I cursed myself for tearing up again after him and that town.

"Bella, I know it's hard. But your dad is there. You have a job waiting for you there. What if he's there, too? He didn't want you years ago, why would it change now?"

Rosalie's words made my insides lurch with pain, but she was right. She was soo right that it hurt. He did not want us , why would he want us now? Nothing's changed, but everything's changed at the same time. At least for me.

Painful memories made themselves visible in my mind once again as I felt a tear trickle down my cheek.

* * *

2005-September

I looked at my watch and huffed for the tenth time in the last twenty minutes. He was late again, but that was how he was, so I was not complaining. I was used to it.

"Edward still didn't show up?"

My dad's voice made me jump. He always managed to be sneaky. The wonders of being a cop and fit.

"Yeah, but I'm sure he will be here in a few minutes."

This was my last day in Forks. I was starting in Seattle University next week, so I was leaving next day to get settled down before the classes started. Of course I was extremely excited, and I wanted to spend my last day with my best friend Alice and my boyfriend Edward who also happened to be Alice's brother.

As much as we loved each other, we were not going to attend the same university with Alice. While I chose studying English in Seattle, she wanted to go to New York to attend a fashion school. It was so hard for us to be apart considering we were there for each other since we were in diapers, but we promised each other that we would never ever lose contact. We would see each other in holidays, and we would always be in touch via phone and e mail. We were more than best friends, we were sisters.

Edward was another story. He was Alice's older brother, meaning he was four years older than me. I had a huge crush on him ever since I started to have such feelings. To him I was always like a sister, though. However, everything changed on my 18th birthday when he kissed me. I remembered that day like yesterday. I was so surprised to see Edward with Alice in front of my door that morning. I didn't even know he was in town. He was studying pre med in Washington, and it was his last year. He was totally out of my league. But he came to my home that day with Alice, and he actually stayed with us much to Alice's protest. And at the end of the day he kissed me.

And we were an item ever since. He continued his school in Washington, and I continued to attend the hell called Forks high. He came to Forks at every chance he had, and even I went to Washington once .

My dad was against our relationship at first saying that he was so much older than me, but he stopped his protests when he saw that I was literally happy with Edward. He was a sucker for love, and he didn't want to upset me by being against my relationship with Edward. I loved him for that so much. My poor dad lost his one and only love when I was four months old in a car accident, and I was all he had. It was the same for me too. We lost Renee Swan when I was just four months old, and we held each other, so I wasn't even angry at him when he tried to protect me from Edward. He meant no harm.

Everything was fine now, though. He really liked Edward, and I couldn't be happier.

I was so lost in my thoughts that the sound of the door bell made me jump. I ran towards the door with a huge smile on my face and threw open the door to reveal my gorgeous boyfriend Edward standing there at all his glory.

"Hi lo.."" Before he had a chance to complete his statement, I literally jumped onto him and kissed him. He responded with the same vigor, and five minutes later we were still making out full force. My dad's amused voice made us to raise our heads to inhale some neccesary breath.

"It's not a sight that a father likes to see, you know. His little girl sucking her boyfriend's face."

I blushed a fire engine red, and Edward just chuckled. My favorite sound in the world! Yup, I really was a lovesick fool…

We got inside and an hour later Alice joined us, too. We were lounging in our little living room when my stomach started aching again. I was like that for the last few days, and only Edward knew it. He insisted that I should go to a doctor, but I was sure that is was just a stomach bug, but Edward's face told me a different story. He was literally glaring at me when I stood up to go to bathroom. He was coming after me and I sighed knowing that there was an argument waiting for us.

"Bella, we should go to hospital. I lost count how many times you puked this week, and you look pale. " He said sternly trying to make me convince.

"I'm always pale,Edward" I muttered between puking. He didn't say anymore, and I exhaled in relief thinking that the trouble was over. I was so optimistic of me to think so.

As soon as Edward felt sure that I puked all of the things I ate, he scooped me up in his arms, and the next thing I knew we were in his car.

"What the hell are you doing, Edward? We left Alice alone." I practically screamed at him, but he did not even flinch.

"She'll survive. I have much greater concerns than Alice right now. You really should see a doctor. There can be something really bad going on with you. You don't look good, Bella" He said sincerely and I rolled my eyes, but didn't say anything in return. He really was a drama queen, and I had no power to fight with him.

We arrived into hospital in silence, and he again carried me to doctor's office. I was screaming profanities at him in my head,however; I was smart enough not to say it aloud. Twenty minutes later, we were ushered inside by a slutty nurse inside a doctor's room. I thanked at my lucky stars that Edward's dad Carlisle wasn't working on this hospital anymore. He trasfered into a hospital in Port Angeles. He fixed me more times than I could count, and I did not want him to be my doctor this time.

The slutty nurse got my blood and pee, and asked us to wait for the results. Apperantly our doctor would come later. Thanks to Edward, we were at a hospital in lunch time. He tried to make me laugh and talk, but I continued to give him the silent treatment while we waited for the results and the doctor. He could be so annoying sometimes. The fact that he was four years older than me did not mean he could patronize me.

Thirty minutes later, my test results came, but the doctor was nowhere to be seen. So Edward being the studious pre med student he was decided to look at the results before the doctor came.

"What the hell are you doing? Wait for the doc! " I whisper yelled, but he didn't even listen to me and tore open the envelope.

"I'm studying med, love. I can understand this as good as he can." He said and started to look at the paper. After looking at his face for a few seconds, I decided that I found the plants more interesting, so I averted my eyes from his face. However, the next thing he said made me look at him.

"Shit! How can you do that Bella?" He literally screamed, and his face was getting redder with each seconds. I was confused and had no idea what he was talking about.

"What are you talking about? Do what?" I asked and he barked out a bitter laugh.

"I know you know it. Don't toy with me. Why didn't you come to fucking hospital? Because of it!" he was starting to scare me and I had no idea what was going on.

"Stop shouting at me, and tell me! Do what?" I asked feeling my patience slowly fading off.

"You told me you were on pill" He whispered.

"I am on pill." I said. I started it after we started to get hot and heavy with Edward.

He groaned and punched the wall. "Then tell me Isabella, why are you pregnant?!"

Pregnant? To say that I was shocked would be the understatement of the century. I was beyond shocked and scared at the same time. How? The questions was swimming in my head and the fact that Edward was looking at me with fury didn't help my mood, either.

He suddenly grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the hospital. When we were in the car, he started talking so fastly that I hardly understand him. I asked him to repeat it, and he groaned in agony.

"It can't happen, Bella. We're not ready. I trusted you. You said you were on pill."

I opened my mouth to tell him I was, but he continued ignoring me.

"You're starting collage, and I'm starting med school. We need to get rid of it. We won't be even in the same city. We really need to get rid of it." He told me with a brutal voice and dark eyes.

Get rid of it? Baby? What was happening? I was only eighteen. I was going to have a baby. And my boyfriend was freaking out. The last thing I remembered was Edward's dark eyes before everything went black.

It was really dark when I opened my eyes. I was in my room alone. I wondered where Edward and Alice went. Everything was a dream? I forced my feet to go downstairs and found my dad sitting alone in the living room.

"Finally you woke up!" he exclaimed and hugged me to his chest.

"Where's Edward?" I asked dreading the answer.

"Oh, he waited for you to wake up, but he said he needed to catch his flight, so he went. But he left you a letter."

I didn't even asked for Alice, I just ran towards my room to read Edward's letter. I opened it with shaky hands and started reading.

_Bella,_

_I don't know how it happened (since you told me you were on pill), but you're indeed pregnant. We don't have time to get rid of it together, since it's the beginning of the semester. I left you enough money. So please take care of it in Seattle. It's for the best. _

_Edward._

It was just it. No I love you. No I'll miss you. That was just it. With five hundred dollars attached to it. I hated him that moment. He put all the blame on me. He didn' t even trusted me. I was the guilty one in his eyes, he was the victim….

* * *

_Today..._

Rose left me alone understanding that I was once again fighting with my painful memories. She was the first one I met here in Seattle. She was the one to encourage me to keep my angel, she was the one who encourage me tell my dad about Amie, and she was the one who helped me to get over with what Edward did. She was my new Alice.

After I started collage in Seattle, Edward called me just two times. I ignored both of them, and he didn't try anything else. How noble of him! Alice was another story, though. She called me non stop in my first year, and she e mailed me everyday. I ignored her, too. I had to ignore her. I did not want anyone related to him.

Rose stood beside me, and I told my dad. He was furious and he wanted to kill Edward. We begged him to keep it a secret. I did not want Edward to know about my baby. He did not deserve to know. Let him think that I got rid of it as he would like. After a lot of cursing and yelling, my dad understood my reasons and kept Amie a secret.

I never went to Forks again, but my dad continued to live there. Since Seattle was not so far, he always visited me.

My beautiful angel, Amie Grace Swan was born in 25th April 2006. She was perfect and she made me, Rose and my dad cry when we first saw her. Me crying was not a surprise, but seeing Rose and my dad cry was an amusing sight.

Between Rose's emotional and my dad financial support, I managed to finish my school in 4 and a half years. The fact that my professors was nice helped me so much, too.

Amie was nearly four years old now. In fact her birthday was in ten days. There was a time I really thought about getting rid of her like her sperm donor (I couldn't even call Edward her father) suggested, but I was now really grateful that I listened to Rosalie and kept my little girl.

Amie was like a little copy of me except her eyes. She had mahogany hair and her cheeks were always pink like mine, but her eyes were simpy the replica of her sperm donor. Green and breathtakingly beautiful. At first seeing her eyes hurt me, but then I got over it and embraced her. She was mine and mine only. She was shy and she liked stories when I told them. The only person she liked other than me was Rose. She liked her grandpa, too, but she didn't see him so often. And each time she saw him, by the time she got over her shyness, it was Charlie's time to return to Forks.

Now I was broke, unemployed and had a little girl to look after. Charlie told me that Forks High school was looking for an English teacher, and they were more than happy to have me. The job was something I would die for, but it was in Forks. That asshole lived in Forks. As far as I heard from my dad, Carlisle opened a clinic and he was working there.

There was no way for me to go to Forks. And it was not because of me, it was because of Amie. I didn't want her to be in the same town with the asshole that didn't want her. And what if the other Cullen's understand? I was sure Edward didn't and wouldn't tell them, but what if they understand on their own?

Oh, God! It was so complicating, but it was so tempting at the same time. I would live with my dad, I would have a great job, and Amie would be taken care of. But Edward?

Aaah! I really hated him!

* * *

So, what do you think?

This idea is in my mind for a while, and I decided to give it a try.

Should I continue or give up?

Thank you so much for reading!

Have a nice day!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"More momma!"

My little girl's delighted screams were making me grin, but there was no way I was going to push her higher. If she was anything like me ( which she wasn't seemed to be, Thank God), she would end up falling from the swing.

"It's enough, Amie. We need to go home, now" I said and she pouted. Sometimes I thought she did that on purpose. She knew its effect on me, and she did that to get what she wanted. Her sperm donor was like that, too. Anyway no need to talk about that bastard. I grabbed Amie's hand and we headed towards our home.

It was end of the April, and now my little girl was officially four years old. As much as I wanted it to be, her birthday party was not a huge affair. It was just me, Rose and Amie. Rose got her a huge ice cream cake, and Amie was beaming. She didn't even notice that her mommy was so broke that she couldn't even buy her daughter a birthday cake. How could she notice anyway, she was four..

I was still unemployed, furious and upset. I studied English for four years, and raised a baby at the same time. Wasn't it something miraculous? Was it too much to expect to find a job and put my life into order after struggling and working my ass off? Apperantly, it was too much.. Every school in Seattle seemed to have an aggrement about not to have me in their teaching staff, and I was in my breaking point. All over my school years, my dad helped me financially, so I didn't have to work or think about money issues, but it was a little weird having your daddy's money after you graduated. There was no way other than to work and earn my own money.

At least, Rosalie was lucky enough to find a job. She started as an intern in an Engineering Company putting her diploma into good use. As much as I was happy for her, her being employed and me being unemployed was torturing me even more. She was earning money and buying stuff for house and Amie when she didn't have to. No need to say it was making me feel really bad.

We reached our home, and Amie immediately turned on the Tv. I tried talking her about not to watch Tv so much, but she just said Ok, and continued doing what she was doing. She was definitely like her sperm donor. Cute but sneaky.

Since Rosalie was playing the role of a husband, earning money and buying groceries, I decided I should play the role of a dutiful wife and started dinner. My girl was giggling inside watching who knows what, and I couldn't help but smile a little at her childish giggle. She was my beautiful angel, and she deserved the best of everything in the world. But I guess she was unlucky in the parent department. She had a good for

nothing mom, and a bastard, asshole, stupid sperm donor.

Two hours later, Rosalie was home, tired but smiling. We were about to sit and eat dinner when the doorbell rang , and it was the moment that change everything. The person who rang our doorbell was our landlord Mr. Jones, and I reached my breaking point when he asked for the rents of the last two months. Rosalie asked for time saying that she would ask for advance pays in work, and then she would pay. I stood there and watched the scene as if I was not living in that house and just a visitor. The time Mr. Jones said goodbye, my body dropped down on the sofa and started to wail embarassingly loud. But I didn't care. It was nothing when compared to the helplessness I felt.

"Bella, why the hell are you crying?" Rose asked sitting beside me. She knew the reason very well, but I guess she didn't want to intervene.

"I hate that I'm a leech. You're spending your money for me and Amie, and you are paying the rent yourself which we need to pay together!" I screamed forgetting Amie's presence in the room for a second. She released a sound close to whimper, and I found her sitting on the floor close to crying. I was immediately next to her cursing myself inside at the same time. She was not used to screaming people around her, and she got easily scared.

"I'm so sorry Amie. There's nothing to cry about, ok? " I asked and she nodded snuggling me. In that moment there was nothing more important than Amie. I would do everything for her even if that meant seeing her sperm donor every day.

"Ok, I'm starving. Time for dinner! Or else I'm going to eat Amie." Rosalie announced tickling Amie at the same time, and Amie's laughter filled our home. Rosalie grabbed Amie and put her into her highchair and turned to me.

"By the way, if you call yourself a leech once again, I'm going to kill you." She smirked and I let out a much needed laugh.

Dinner was a silent affair other than Amie's talking. She liked making up stories, and today she made up a story about a carrot. Yeah, she was as weird as me. Rosalie listened to her and laughed at her childishness, and I watched them with a smile.

My resolve was fading slowly about Forks. It was two months since I started looking for a job, and I was about to give up. My dad was right. I would have a job and earn money. Amie would be so comfortable in Forks, having Sue as a babysitter, and having her grandpa with her everyday.

On the other hand, there was Edward, and Cullens… I was pretty sure that he didn't tell my pregnancy to Cullens not wanting to damage his flawless portrait of a perfect son. If he had told, Esme would have found me long ago, so I was sure that he didn't tell anything. Coward asshole!

Cullens knowing about Amie wouldn't be a bad thing, I guess. Of course after their shock and irritation towards Edward fade away. Amie deserved their love and affection, and I was so sure that they would spoil her rotten. But Edward?? What to do about him? I didn't trust him the least, and I didn't want him to see Amie. He didn't want her ,so he didn't deserve her, he didn't deserve to see her angelic face… I was extremely confused ,and I had a terrible headache as a result of it.

After dinner and Amie's bath time, I put her to her bed and read her a story. Playing in park made her tired today, and before long she was sleeping. I kissed her cheek whispering my love to her at the same time. Even though I hated Edward, moments like these I found myself being grateful to him for giving me Amie.

I found Rosalie lounging and laughing in living room watching Family Guy. She was obsessed with the show, and made me obsessed too. We found ourselves quoting Stewie more than once, and always ended up lauging like crazies.

"Again Stewie, huh?" I asked patting her leg and sitting next to her.

"What can I say? He makes me laugh. He is a little wonder." She said making me laugh.

We sat and watched a little while, but my mind was too busy with Forks matter to understand what was going on in the episode. Suddenly Rosalie grabbed the remote and turned off the TV.

"What is going on in that mind of yours Bella?" she asked with a serious face. Rosalie was one of those people that you could never lie to. She always managed to get the truth out of me even if I didn't want to tell. So saying 'Nothing' was not an option.

"Forks, finding a job, my dad, that stupid asshole, Amie.. Should I continue?" I asked with an agitated tone. Maybe I was being a drama queen, but I was feeling like a failure. I couldn't even take care of my own daughter without the help of others.

"I understand, but you're worrying over nothing. Forks.. I really don't know about it. Finding a job.. I'm sure you're going to find a great job. Charlie will be fine. Screw that asshole, aand Amie is a great little person." She said counting with her fingers at the same time.

"It's been two months since I started looking for a job, and still nothing, Rose. I don't want to be dependant on my dad or you." She cast me a glance to tell me shut the hell up, but I continued. "I really appreciate your helping us, but I can't accept your money. I need to earn my own. Amie needs a strong and independant mom, and I'm not even close to being that right now."

She inhaled deeply before speaking and exhaled loudly puffing her cheeks.

"You applied every possible school?"

"Yup" I nodded. They didn't even want to give me a chance in the following semester. The universe seemed to push me towards Forks, and I hated it.

"Would it be really that bad?" Rosalie asked.

"What?" I didn't quite understand what she was talking about.

"Moving to Forks." I couldn't have an answer to that. If I had had an answer, I wouldn't be thinking and sulking all day long.

"I don't know, Rose."

"I mean your dad is there. You have a house waiting for you, a job waiting for you. You can earn enough money to support Amie. This is what you want." She said in a rush.

"Yeah, when you put it that way, that sounds freaking perfect. But what about Ed.. sperm donor?"

"You want me to tell what I really think?" She asked making herself comfortable on her spot. I nodded and she continued.

"You go there and start working. Don't effect him shape your life anymore. Go talk to him and ask him to stay the fuck off. And if he doesn't listen to you and wants to be with Amie by some miracle, Amie can get to know her dad. And this would be a good thing."

I couldn't believe my ears! What the hell?

"No way he is coming nowhere near Amie!" I literally shouted and Rosalie rolled her perfect violet eyes.

"Think about it rationally for a second, Bella. I'm not telling you to go and give Amie to his arms. Tell him to stay away first. And if he's still the same asshole, he will glady abide."

"What if he wants her? After raising her all alone by myself, should I let him to play father with her? Is that fair Rose?" I asked with tears in my eyes.

"It's not fair to you, but it's fair to Amie. Don't you want her to have her own Charlie?"

"Don't compare that asshole to my dad!" I was upset at her, but I understood what she was trying to say at the same time. I knew what it was like to be growing up with only one parent, and I did want better for my Amie. But Edward had the chance, and he didn't even think about it, or ask me how I felt. He just ordered me to get rid of it. Then why would I give him that second chance?

_Look Edward! You didn't want her, but I gave birth to her and raised her really nice. Maybe you want her now?_

"No, he doesn't deserve!" I said once again and Rosalie was on the verge of pulling her own hair in frustration.

"For God's sake! I'm not telling you to drop Amie on his doorstep! Just go and tell him about Amie and ask him to stay away, ok? And if he wants to play daddy, scream at him, not me!"

"Why would I go and tell him about Amie?" I asked in a low voice. I knew I was driving Rosalie mad, but I was so confused.

"Because, he will eventually see Amie with you and put two and two together. Your hair, his eyes. He's a doctor, he can't be stupid. It'll be better if you tell him."

We didn't speak any more, and an hour later Rose went to her room to sleep leaving me with my own thoughts. Rose was right. He would certainly understand that Amie was her daughter once he saw her, and he would surely see her considering the fact that Forks really was a small town. So I would tell him to stay away.

Could I do that? After five years, there were no romantic feelings inside me towards him, so I was not excited about seeing him. I just hated him. For leaving me with a stupid note and five hundred dollars.. I could do that. I could order him to stay away from Amie. That wouldn't be hard. But what if he wouldn't listen to me? What would I do then? Allow him to be with Amie? No way! Well, maybe. It depended on Amie's reaction towards Edward.

I forced my ass to go to bed before I fell asleep in the living room. My sleep was restless and full of dreams,but it was something I got used to a long time ago. By the time I woke up next morning, my mind was made up. I was going to go to Forks. My little girl deserved to be surrounded by the ones who loved her, and a mom who could support her.

Amie was sitting on my bed and smiling when I opened my eyes.

"Morning baby" I yawned making her yawn and then giggle.

"Morning mommy!" she jumped on the bed and threw herself at me. I hugged her to my chest and kissed her head.

"Amie, you're a big girl now. Can I ask you something?" I said to catch her attention. She nodded her head and looked at me with those beautiful green eyes.

"You like your grandpa, right?" I asked again and she nodded smiling. "Do you like it if we go and live with him?" I finally dropped the bomb and waited for my little girl's answer.

"Rose will come, too?" she asked and I smiled. She really loved Rose, and the fact that we would be apart was making me upset,too.

"No, baby. Forks is not far, we can always visit her, and she can visit us too." I added praying that she wouldn't make a fuss about it. She was usually not a fussy baby, and I didn't t want to experience her that side right now.

"Ok, I love grandpa." She said and I felt relief washed all over me.

A while after we got up and went to kitchen to prepare breakfast for us and Rose. Since I made up my mind about Forks, I was feeling surprizingly relaxed, but that easygoing feeling was freaking me out at the same time. We started eating and I decided to give the news to Rose.

"So, I thought about it, and decided that it's for the best that we move to Forks." I tried to sound even, but my voice was nowhere even, and of course Rose noticed it.

"I'm going to continue searching jobs for you though. Maybe I can find something, and you can come back." She offered with a smile and I cracked a little smile, too. But I knew better. There was no way my dad would let us leave after we settled down in Forks, but it would worth giving a try.

"We'll always visit you, Rose. And you will come to visit us, too right?" I asked Rose looking at Amie, and Rose understood the meaning under my question.

"Of course! How can I go on without seeing my little Amie?" she said playing with Amie's hair and Amie nodded happily.

"Why don't you come with us Rose? We will probably go next weekend, and you can spend the weekend in Forks, then come here. Sounds good? "

She nodded while stuffing her face, and I felt secure. It was childish, but I wanted Rose with me in my first days in that town. She always gave me strenght, she was my source of strenght, and the idea of her being with me while I talked to Edward was easing my nerves.

Maybe that was the best decision of my life, maybe it was the worst, but I made up my mind, so I decided to call my dad and give him the 'happy' news. Our latest conversations were a little bit forced. We skirted around the words Forks and moving not to hurt each other, and it was weird.

"Hi Bells!" He answered immediately and sounded chipper.

"Hi dad. How are you doing?" I wondered why he sounded so chipper, but didn't ask.

"I'm fine, great actually. Just having breakfast with Sue. She says hi by the way." Oh! The point understood! Sue was one of the nicest ladies in the town, and I was suspecting that my dad and she had something going on for a long time.

"Oh, tell her I say hi, too." I said in an incredibly childish voice to irritate my dad, and I could almost see him roll his eyes.

"Anyways dad. I'm coming to Forks. You can be happy now." I said without beating around the bush, but his overly excited voice topped mine.

"Finally Bells!" he yelled. "It will be great, trust me. If you want, I can even put a restraining order to his ass. He won't bother you." He was rambling in the caveman mode, so I had to literally shout at him to stop him talking.

"Dad, no need. I will talk to him." I asked and he stopped talking immediately.

"You're going to talk to him? Why?"

"Really dad? He will see Amie and understand, so it's better if I talk to him." I was saying exactly the same things that Rose said to me.

"Yeah whatever, but I won't let him hurt you or Amie. I'll kill him this time." His voice was so stern, and it was easy to get that he was not kidding.

"Ok dad, he is all yours" I said rolling my eyes. "I'm just kidding, though. I don't want my dad to be in prison. Anyway, we're coming next weekend. Rose will be with us too. She's going to stay two days. Ok? " I asked knowing that he wouldn't say no to Rose's stay. That girl had a strange hold on my dad. It was weird first considering that he was my dad and she was my friend, but I saw that Rose had that effect on every male not long after.

"Of course. This is her home, too. Maybe we can find her a job in here" He offered cheekily and I let out a laugh.

"Don't think so, dad. She has a job that she likes very much. But thanks for offering."

We talked for a few minutes more, and said goodbye.

I was officially moving back to Forks, and I didn't know how I felt about it. But I was doing it for my little girl with the best intentions in my heart, so I hoped that everything would just be fine.

* * *

Thank you for reading! And also I want to thank everyone who reviewed and added this story to their favorites. It means so much to me!

Please let me know what you think. This chapter is not so much but they will be in Forks next chapter:)

Have a nice day!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Bells, is that all?" My dad asked as he carried our two suitcases inside the house. It was his third time asking the same question, and it was starting to annoy me. I was already feeling nervous about seeing Forks and my home, and my dad's overly cheerful mood was not helping either. I kept my mouth shut, though.

"Yeah dad. Just clothes." I said and held Amie's hand. She was looking around curiously. It was no wonder that she found Forks different after living in a big city like Seattle for the first four years of her life.

"This is our new home now sweetie. Do you like it?" I asked pointing my dad's two story white house. Amie nodded shyly looking at my dad who came outside empty handed. Amie was always shy around my dad, but I hoped that she would get used to him with time.

"I carried your bags to your room, and I came to get my favorite girl." My dad said in a playful tone and picked up Amie making her let a delightful giggle.

I was really nervous ever since I decided to move back to Forks, and this feeling doubled itself the moment I saw "Welcome to Forks" sign, but now after seeing my little girl interact with my dad smiling, I felt that it was worth it. Amie's happiness meant everything to me. Even the idea of seeing Edward didn't creep me out so much when I thought about my girl's wellfare. Well, maybe that wasn't the case. I dreaded seeing Edward, and I didn't want to see his face, but I had to see his face sooner or later. I wanted to do it as soon as I could so that I could move on my life without feeling threatened.

My dad carried Amie inside the house, and we followed him with Rose. The house, my home was the same as I remembered. I looked around to see that everything was still the same. The town and the house in which everything changed stayed the same. Funny, huh?

"Your room is the same. I just put a small bed for Amie. Unpack whenever you want. And Rose, I'm sorry, but the sofa.."

Rosalie stopped my dad before he could finish. "The sofa is more than fine, Charlie. Thank you. " She said sweetly. My dad looked at Rose with a dazzled expression on his face, but then composed himself. Rose shot a look at me, and I hardly contained my laughter.

"Ok then. I'm sorry ladies, but I have to go to work. You should go see Mrs. Cope, Bella. Don't forget." My dad interrupted our hushed laughter looking apologetic. I knew that he was feeling guilty about working in our first day, but it was nonsense.

"Yep daddy. I won't forget" I said in a sweet voice and kissed his cheek loudly. Amie was looking at us with big eyes. I felt an urge of sorrow inside me. She didn't have what I had… A father who loved her… She didn't know the feeling… But she had me and Charlie. She was loved…

"Amie, do you want to give a kiss to grandpa?" I asked my little girl who was now clinging to my leg. She nodded her cheeks turning pink, but she didn't let my leg go. Charlie smiled and knelt before her.

"Give me my kiss" He said in such a childish voice that I physically forced myself not to snort, but Rosalie snorted anyway. Amie kissed his cheek and her pink blush turned into red. She was shy especially around men since she did not see many men around her while growing up.

Charlie left Amie, Rose and me at home sitting in silence. Rose's phone s loud chirping interrupted our silence making her groan out loud. Her phone was beeping ever since we left Seattle in the wee hours of morning, and she was ignoring to answer.

"Rose answer it or turn it off." I knew I was being annoying today, but I couldn't help it. Rose tried everything in her power to make me smile from the moment we left our little apartment in Seattle. She did only get a half assed smirk, though.

"It's just Felix. He thinks we're dating. And I can't turn it off. My dad could call, or my boss. So suck it up! " she said with an annoying smile.

"Who the hell is Felix?" There was no way I could keep in mind the names of the guys Rose went out. She changed them like she changed her underwear. They couldn't keep her interested in. Not my words, her words…

"Some guy from work. He's hot, so I went to lunch with him. Now he thinks he can fuck me." She said and I gasped. Didn't she realise Amie was sitting with us, listening every word Rose said?

"Rose, young ears!" I shouted and threw the pillow at her. She caught gracefully it before it hit her, and placed it in her lap.

"You said hell, so what?"

"It's not the same!" I exclaimed making her laugh. Amie was watching us probably trying to figure out what was going on. She was always like this.. Watching and taking internal notes. I just hoped she was taking note of the good things.

Rose turned on my dad's precious plazma tv and found a cartoon. It was funny that Rose liked cartoons as much as Amie did. They had a blast watching them.

"So, after visiting Mrs. Cope, I'm going to talk to him. In hospital. " I said trying to get Rose's attention.

"He? Who? " she asked without looking at me, but then her head suddenly turned towards me. "Really? This early?" she asked.

"Yeah, I just want do do it and… oh, I just want to get rid of that feeling you know. That uneasy feeling.. He will learn sooner or later, and I don't want him to make a big deal. So? Should I wait before telling him?" I blurted out without thinking.

"He can still make a big deal. But he doesn't matter. You should do what your heart tells you."

"What if he gets angry at me for not having an abortion?" I asked and immediately cursed myself. Who the hell he was to be angry at me? And why should I care if he was angry? He was nothing. His opinion didn't matter. He tried to get rid of Amie, the only thing that mattered to me was that fact.

"Then, tell him to go fuck himself" Rose said and I wanted to slap her. Seriously, she had a four year old in the same room with her for crying out loud! She noticed my face and mumbled a sorry.

"What if he wants to meet her?" My mind was working full force and my heart was aching. Even the thought of sharing Amie with him was making me sick. Why did I come to Forks?? I felt really stupid at this moment. My eyes suddenly filled with tears, and I looked at Amie to see if she was watching us. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw her looking intently at TV.

"I don't know Bella." Rosalie sighed. I knew she was sick of answering the same questions over and over again, but my poor heart needed reassurance.

"Don't panic.. Everything will be allright." She said and kissed my cheek. I just hoped that she was right. "Just go on and tell him before he learns from gossipy ladies or something. Tell him that you won't bother him. If he wants to be with Amie, then we'll deal with it. Ok? " she asked with a soft voice and I nodded.

So, two hours later I found myself stepping outside of Forks High with a grin on my face. Their English teacher, Mrs. Bones had to move to New York to help her daughter through her pregnancy. Apperantly, the father wasn't in the picture. Yep, another bastard… So the position was vacant, and they asked me to start next Monday. I was more than ready the start. Hence the stupid grin!

But, my stupid grin was vanishing with each step I took towards the clinic that Carlisle owned. Rose offered to come with me, but there was noone to take care of Amie, and there was no way I was going with Amie next to him. It may sound childish, but the later he saw Amie, the better it was.

I went to clinic in five minutes. My heart was trying to find someway to convince my mind to run away before seeing him, but my mind was pretty determined. I knew what I was about to do had the potential of changing my life, but I also knew that I should do it. Yeah for some stupid reason, I should do it..

The last time I saw him we were in a hospital. And now I was going to see his face in a hospital. I hated hospitals… A tiny part of me was wondering if he changed or stayed the same? Was he married? Maybe even had a kid? Did he ever think about me? The answer seemed like no, considering he only called me two times. Did he even wonder about my baby? ..

I decided to tell that tiny part of myself to shut the hell up. Reminiscing about him was the last thing I needed right now. I needed to be cool without getting caught up about past,and tell him what I had to say. My head was giving all these reasonable commands, but my chest and stomach seemed to have a mind of their own. My chest was fluttering with each beat of my heart, and my stomach felt sick. I thought about going back to home without seeing him, but it would be the same the next time. The sooner, the better…

Taking a deep breath, I approached the secretary who was typing furiously. I cleared my throat and she stopped to look at me.

"How can I help you, Miss?" She asked in such a professional tone that I could have laughed if I hadn't been so nervous.

"I need to see Edward Cullen" I said taking a deep breath. Saying his name made my stomach do a funny flip.

"Do you have an appointment?" the secretary asked. At this moment, I was having difficulty in breathing. I really was doing this. After five long years, I was going to look at his face again. But this time not with love and adoration… He killed these feelings himself when he suggested that we should kill our baby.

"No. I'm an old friend. I just need to talk to him for a minute. If he's available" the lady must have seen the desperation in my face, because he pick up the phone to call Edward. My heart was beating wildly in my chest, but I was trying my best to ignore it. Ignore all the funny things that I felt inside.

"Miss? Miss? Are you ok? I asked your name." The secretary's loud voice brought me out of my musing to the real world. Yeah, my name…

"Bella. Bella Swan" I told and she repeated the name to the phone. She listened for a minute. "Yeah, I'm sure she said Bella." She looked at me and mouthed "Right?" I nodded. Edward must have thought she misunderstood. The idea of catching him off guard made me smile. Let him suffer a little bit.

"He sounded so surprized. He actually stuttered. He's coming, though." The secretary said and turned to her furious typing. Shit, he was coming! I wiped my clammy hands to the skirt that Rose forced me to wear. As I took a deep breath, the reality came crashing down on me. I was about to see him! I came to live in the same town with him! I was a freaking idiot! Just I was about to turn around and ran away, I saw a man with bronze hair getting out of the fancy elevator, and I stopped dead in my tracks.

He looked the same. Just as this stupid town, he looked the same… His hair was still long and messy. He always had let Alice and me play with his hair when we were kids. When we were dating,he told me that he had let us play because he had hated to see me pouting when he had said no. I thought he was being so sweet at that time. I didn't know how bitter he could be.

I let my eyes look at his face, and for the first time after five years our eyes locked. I felt a painful tug in my heart which caused me to have trouble in breathing. Every breath that I took was making my chest hurt. Feeling tears gather around my eyes wwas the worst thing. I could not cry! I wouldn't cry! I thought about the reason I was here, and tried to compose myself.

He was looking at me with wide eyes full of disblief, and I noticed that Amie's eyes were literaly the copy of his. I let my eyes wonder around his face, and saw that he had dark circles around his eyes, and his face looked shaper. I wanted to end this staring contest, but I couldn't make myself talk or walk, and he continued to look at me unabashedly. The secretary called his name and he averted his eyes from me finally.

"Miss Swan is here to see you, Dr. Cullen." She said with the same professional voice. I didn't know if she noticed the staring contest that was going on, but she didn't seem to care.

"Bella" Edward said in such an agonized voice that you would think that someone stabbed him. He started walking towards me with slow but determined steps. The disbelief was still evident in his eyes, but there was also something I couldn't decipher.

"Bella, is it really you?" he asked stopping right in front of me. Being that near to him was too much, but I had to bear with it. I had a purpose. I was not here to see his face! I chanted these inside my head before speaking.

"Yes, that's me. I just need to talk to you. Do you have a minute?" I asked and mentally applauded myself when my voice didn't even crack. The last five years made me a stronger person. Apperantly strong enough to deal with Edward. He looked taken aback, but nodded anyway.

"Do you want to go to cafeteria? I would like to go to somewhere nice, but I have no time.." I cut him before he finished. Somewhere nice? Was he mental?

"I'm not here to sit and drink coffee with you. I just need to say something." He gulped loudly but nodded again. This was going better than I imagined.

"Ok, I'm listening."

I took a breath to relax myself, but it caused me more discomfort. There was no way to be comfortable while saying this, so I decided to just blurt it out.

"I didn't have an abortion." His eyes grew as big as saucers and he paled visibly. He opened his mouth to say something, but I stopped him. "Just listen! I couldn't find a job in Seattle, so we had to move back to Forks. Don't worry, we will not be a bother. If I find a job in Seattle, we'll move back. I just want you to hear it from me before you see or hear from an old lady in a supermarket."

He was as pale as a ghost at this moment, and he was apening and closing his mouth like a fish. I waited for him to say something, anything…I didn't know what his reaction meant, so I decided to turn back and leave. Taking a last glance at him, I turned around and walked. He didn't come after me… He didn't even care about his kid. Not that I expected him…

I was a mess by the time I stepped into the house. I found Amie and Rose lounging in the living room with Amie's Barbie dolls. I never wanted her to play with this artificial looking dolls, but Rosalie insisted on buying them, and Amie seemed to like them. They were dressing them, and Amie was giggling hysterically at something that Rose said. My poor baby didn't even know that her excuse of a father didn't give a shit about her for the second time. And she would not know…

They continued to play and I continued to watch them. Amie made up stories about her barbies making Rose and me gaping at her imagination. She was a little wonder, it was Edward's lost that he was not near her.

My dad came home later, and declared that he was cooking this night. From my previous experiences I knew that it would not going to end well, but I didn't say anything. I just sat silently and continued to watch everyone.

After a while Amie got bored and turned her attention to TV. I didn't even have the energy to tell her not to watch it. Rose sat down next to me and started to whisper.

"So, how was it? Is he bald, fat? Tell me he looks like an ass! What did he say?"

"He doesn't look like an ass. He still looks gorgeous. He didn't say anything. He just stood and stared." I answered in a monotone voice. Rose looked at me for a few seconds before cursing loudly.

"Bastard! He must be shocked. Good for him! "

Charlie ran into the room looking around. "What happened? Why are you shouting?" he asked frantically scanning the room with his eyes at the same time. I couldn't help myself but laugh.

"Nothing, dad. Rose just got a little bit too excited." I said and went to kitchen with my dad to help him. I was telling him my encounter with Edward when Rose joined us.

"I really thought he would say something or want to see Amie." Rose said while cutting the cucumber.

"This is Edward to you" I answered and my dad nodded furiously. "Maybe he was shocked or something, who knows.." I said and continued stirring the soup.

Thirty minutes later, we were fed and happy sitting in our living room until Amie decided that she wanted a chocolate bar. She had such a nice way of wanting things that you could never say no to her. And my dad was such a putty in her hands. So we all got out and walked to local supermarket to buy her that much wanted chocolate bar.

The weather was nice, so we decided to walk around our little town a little more before heading back to home. People greeted me and stared curiously at Amie, but I didn't care about what they thought. My Amie was happy the time she got under her covers to sleep that night, and it was the only thing that mattered to me.

* * *

Thank you for reading!

It's my last term at collage, and I'm a teacher trainee in a high school. I wrote this chapter in between preparing lesson plans:)

I hope you like it.

Have a nice day!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

EPOV

When I decided to be a doctor, I was just five. I broke my arm, and my mom rushed me to the hospital. I knew all the things about my dad's job beforehand, but it was the first time that I saw him perform his job in his blue scrubs. It was pure magic to me. He made the pain go away and kissed my forehead. At that moment, I decided to be a doctor. I decided to be just like Carlisle.

He was my role model. I always looked up to him as I grew up. I did everything he asked me to do. I studied my ass off to get into medical school. I tried to be the golden child who did no wrong. I just wanted to be him. A doctor with a happy family… A man who was respected by everyone…

Now at the age of 26, I was just exactly who I wanted to be. A good doctor that people respected and loved. Town's golden boy…The Cullen kid who did everything he dreamed of… The proud and joy of my family… I was everything I wanted to be, well except for the happy part.

I wasn't happy. Nowhere near… I was just living in regret, functioning, pretending… That was all. But what could you expect when you knew that you were a murderer? A fucking coward! A murderer…

But what if you suddenly learnt that you were not a murderer? What if you learnt that an angel protected and gave chance to something that you wanted to destroy once ? How would you feel? I didn't know what to feel or think. There was just one sentence going on and on inside my head..

_She didn't get an abortion…_

_She didn't get an abortion…_

_She didn't get an abortion…_

"She didn't get an abortion_…_" I whispered into my room. She kept the baby. I had a kid…

I always thought she got an abortion considering the situation that we were in at that time. But I should have known better… She was Bella, she was much more better than me…

She was seventeen when I realized the funny feeling that I had inside me when she was around was love. I had always had a soft spot for her, but when she was seventeen she was asked out by a stupid git, and I died from jealousy… The day she turned eighteen I kissed her, and by some miracle she kissed me back. I felt like I was finally complete. I was a med student and I had a gorgeous girlfriend.. I was living my dream.

My dream turned into a nightmare when we found out that she was pregnant. With my baby… I was the one who turned the dream into a nightmare, though..

A normal guy would hug his girlfriend and soothe her. A normal guy would be with his girlfriend… But I was not a normal guy, I was a total asshole then…

I was angry, scared, nervous, frustrated… Every single horror story about being a parent while in collage came crashing to me. I was nowhere near ready to be a father. I was in med school, my dream school, and she was just starting collage. We both had dreams…

I didn't know what came over me, but I didn't even let Bella speak. I didn't even ask about her feelings. She was the pregnant one, but I was the one who was acting all hormonal. I just ordered her to get rid of it as if it was her fault. I left her… Pregnant and alone… I left her because I was a selfish bastard who wanted to be the Doctor Perfect! So I fucking ran away…

I left her in Forks and went back to my med school. After my first lonely week, I was fully aware of my mistake. I was feeling guilty about leaving her alone. But I was just guilty about leaving her alone, not about wanting to get rid of the baby. She was probably more scared than me, and me acting like an ass was the last thing she needed. Guilt was eating me alive…

I called her a few times, but she ignored me. She never called back.. I told Alice that we had a huge fight and broke up. Even though she was angry with me, Alice promised me help me. She called and e mailed Bella every single day. A year later, Alice stopped calling her declaring that I was an ass to cause her to stay away from us… I not only lost my girlfriend, but I also caused Alice to lose her best friend.

Bella never came to Forks, and I never had the balls to ask Charlie about her. He always acted like she was ok when Alice asked him, though. She was ok and enjoying life in Seattle..

Knowing that she deserved someone better than me, I sucked it up and continued with my studies. I missed Bella like crazy, and was still feeling guilty about leaving her…

The thing that helped me to throughly understand what I truly did happened in my second year in school. My best friend Peter's girlfriend Charlotte got pregnant…

Peter was one of the best students who had a bright future… He was a nice guy and he had dreams which he was so close to achieving. So, when he found out that her girlfriend was pregnant, I expected him to freak out like I did. I thought he wouldn't want the baby. I thought that was the right thing to do. They could have a baby anytime they wanted…

It was quite shocking for me when I learnt that he wanted the baby.

I watched him struggle to work part time and continue to school at the same time. He was tired all the time, and his grades were falling, but he didn't seem to mind. He seemed happy..

After seven months of struggling,Charlotte gave birth to a cute little boy. Peter dragged me to hospital saying that he was so excited, so I had a chance to see his first encounter with his son.. I didn't know everything I knew and thought were about to change.. I didn't know I was about to change..

The moment that Peter picked up his son for the very first time, his happy expression and teary eyes slapped me on the face. He looked as if nothing else mattered in the world to him. He looked like as if he had everything he needed in the world right that moment… He looked insanely happy…

I felt insanely jealous…

Seeing that scene in front of me, I understood that I not only left Bella, but I also left my kid. A kid that I didn't even give a chance to live. Peter's son got to live, but mine didn't… Because of me… Feeling guilty about leaving Bella was nothing when compared to feeling guilty about ending my kid's life even before it began.

But of course I should have known better… My Bella wasn't heartless…She wasn't me… She didn't get an abortion… She told me today… I had a kid…

After five long years of not seeing her, seeing her today was like seeing a mirage. I couldn't even believe my ears when our secretary Julia called me to say that Bella was waiting. I just sat in my room for a minute and let the all familiar guilt wash all over me… Was she angry? Of course she was angry! I caused her to kill her first baby, I left her alone…But was she resentful that I wanted her to get an abortion?? Did she want that baby? Questions were swimming inside my head making me feel even more guilty than I usually felt. How would I look at her face?

My hands were shaking by the time the elevator stopped on the lobby. Stepping out of the elevator, I saw a sight that I thought I would never see again… Bella.. My beautiful Bella… She was standing there looking nervous. She looked like as if it was the last place that she wanted to be. This was not us… We weren't supposed to be nervous around each other. She was supposed to run into my arms and kiss me like she did all those years ago.

But I ruined all of them with my own hands five years ago. There was nothing I could do other than stop and stare at her now. And I did. My eyes hungrily roamed over her beautiful face… I couldn't believe that she was here in front of me looking at me with her big beautiful eyes…

We looked at each other for God knows how long until Julia interrupted us saying that Bella was here to see me. I waited Bella to say something, but she just looked so uncomfortable,so I wanted to say something. However all I could do was to moan her name. God, how good her name sounded on my lips again!

I knew I was being stupid and delusional for even thinking that she would sit and talk to me, but I didn't want her to leave quickly. She said she just wanted to say something and then go, though. She sounded so cold, so distant. What was I expecting anyway?

She then said the thing that caused me to sit and ponder in my room right now. She said the thing that made me feel hopeful again. She said the thing that made me feel I had a reason to feel something other than shame, pain and guilt.

"_I didn't have an abortion.." _

She said this and it rocked my all being, my world… I had a kid. She had it despite me. There was a little person who was Bella's and mine.. I didn't kill our baby, because Bella didn't listen to me…

I didn't know what I was feeling. I didn't know what to say, so I just continued to look Bella, her big brown eyes, spotless skin… She was a mother now… Making me a father. A father who didn't deserve the fatherhood the least…

I didn't know how long I gaped at her, but it must have been long because she just turned around and left. I opened my mouth to call after her only to notice that I had nothing to say. What could I say? '_Great, please let me see my kid… ' _Would she allow me anyway? No, she wouldn't… Maybe it was the right thing to do not to bother her, but I was too selfish for that.

I spent the last four years of my life regretting the decision about the baby… Every single day… Whenever I saw a toddler, or whenever I saw Peter with his son something inside me died. The burden was too heavy, but I embraced it thinking that I deserved it…

My baby was living, though. My baby was alive… How could I go without seeing my baby? I felt something close to relief washed all over me mingling itself with guilt. So I was sitting in my room pondering, shedding a few tears that I forced myself not to shed before…

I wanted to see my baby, hold my baby… I was sure of that.. But which baby deserved a father that didn't want him ? How could I look at my baby in the eye without feeling guilty? But there was one thing I knew: I wanted my baby. God I didn't even know whether I had a son or a daughter, but I just wanted to know… So much…

My head was pounding so bad, and I noticed that gripping my hair was not helping it either. I released my hair and started to pound my fists to my legs. My legs were starting to get hurt by the time my phone started to beep loudly. I grabbed my phone and saw that it was Emmett. I didn' t want to deal with him, but I also knew that he would continue to call until I would answer.

Flipping my phone open, I asked dully "What?"

"Well, aren't we cheerful today?" He asked and I rolled my eyes. I couldn't even say something back to him. He liked to push my buttons, and this hobby of his always caused us to have arguments. But he was my brother, and I loved him.

"I had a rough morning, Emmett." I sighed. What a morning, indeed!

"Ok, chill out bro. And don't forget the dinner. Tonight. My place. Sharp at 8. If you won't come this time, mom will get too upset. Don't make her upset, or I'll kill your brooding ass" He said in a stern tone. I knew I was pushing my family away sometimes, but I just felt unworthy. If they had knew what I had done to Bella and my baby, they would have been ashamed of me.

"I'll be there Em." I said and he bickered a little more before ending the call. He was the toughest guy you would ever know, but he was still momma's little boy. The fact that he never left my parent's side sure affected this. After finishing high school, he didn't want to go collage, so he stayed in Forks, and opened his small cafe-restaurant where we would eat tonight. My dad supported him as he supported me and Alice.

By the time my shift ended in the clinic, I was glad that there were no serious cases today. With the things in my mind today, it could be a disaster me dealing with a serious case.

I went to my little apartment that I moved into a few years ago. Emmett and Alice were still living with my parents, though. You would think that a thirty year old would be ashamed of living with his parents, but not Emmett. He wasn't willing to leave my mom's cooking. He sometimes used my apartment to have fun with his lady friends, though. He didn't understand the meaning of no, so I gave up saying no and condoned. And Alice wanted to stay with my parents as long as she could before her wedding. She was marrying to her long time boyfriend Jasper this summer, but they would be living in Forks much to my mom's delight.

After having a long and soothing shower, I grabbed a book to kill some time and distract myself. The weird feeling that emerged inside me the moment I saw Bella was still present and it was making me uncomfortable. But ten minutes later I noticed that I couldn't understand a damn thing from the book, so I just gave up reading. Today was such a big and enlightening day that normal spare time activities weren't enough to distract me.

In the last few years, I let myself wonder what my baby would have looked like. I dreamed about a baby with Bella's hair and my eyes. Bella loved my eyes… Dreaming and thinking about my baby increased the guilt I felt, so I kept dreaming. I deserved to feel low and guilty… I was mourning for the death of someone who I didn't know…

It was all different now, though… Bella and my baby was in Forks because she couldn't find a job. I felt myself even worse thinking about that. She managed to go to a collage and raise a baby at the same time while I ran away..

I looked at my watch and saw that it was nearly 8. Knowing that I had to go, I grabbed my car keys and stepped outside. The weather was nice, and it would be nice to walk, but as every part of my body, my legs felt numb to. I didn't even feel like myself, so it was the best to drive.

I arrived Emmett's cafe in five minutes, and parked my car. My family was sitting in the balcony, so I could see Alice and my mom laughing at something that Emmett was telling. Looking at my family, I knew that I had to tell them about my baby. I also knew that they would be very dissapointed in me, but it wasn't about me anymore. I didn't want to put myself before my baby and Bella like I had stupidly done before.

Alice saw me looking at them and frantically waved to me. After Bella and my baby, she was the next person that I hurt badly in this mess. She lost her sister, her childhood friend, her bestfriend because of my selfishness and immaturity. I forced my legs to function and met my family inside.

"Edward, I miss you" My mom rushed towards me and hugged me making Alice and Emmett send deathly glares to me. Yeah, I knew I was neglecting her, no need to remind me..

"I miss you, too." I said kissing her cheek. She smiled and pulled me to sit next to her.

"It's great that you have your favorite son with you mom" Emmett said jokingly making my dad chuckle.

"Oh, come on Emmett. You're always with your mom." My dad said hugging me. It was a little bit awkward considering we were both sitting, but I hugged him back.

"Yeah, you would think he is a five year old considering the time he spends begging mom to bake cookies." Alice said snickering and Emmett pulled her hair. "I say, five years old." Alice said. Emmett reached out to grab her hair again, but my mom stopped him.

"Emmett seriously." She scolded him and Emmett smiled at her charmingly before sitting and kissing Alice's head. Times like these, I felt like a stranger.

Mom noticed my discomfort and patted my arm smiling. "How have you been?" she asked. It had been two weeks since I last saw her, and I suddenly felt bad about failing her.

"I'm good. Work's kicking my ass, but good." I said looking pointedly at my dad. One would think that having your dad as your boss could be a good thing, but let me tell you, it wasn't. He was making me work my ass off, not that I minded. It always kept me distracted. My dad just smiled and turned his attention towards Alice and Emmett who were still bickering.

After some chit chat, our food arrived and we started to eat in silence. Even Emmett sat silently and ate. My mom looked positively elated, for all of us were together.

The numbness in my body was still existent, though. I couldn't eat. I forced myself to eat something not to gain attention on me, but it was in vain.

"Are you ok,Edward? You're not eating anything." I raised my head and saw Alice's worried eyes on me.

"Yeah, just tired." I lied and faked a smile. She didn't seem to believe in me, but didn't push it, either. But it was my mother's turn. After making her believe that I was fine, she continued to eat her dinner leaving me with my thoughts.

An hour later, we were sitting drinking our coffees. Emmett was telling something disgusting about a nasty customer and making Alice and my mom protest. My dad was just laughing, though.

"Oh my God!" Alice suddenly stood up and looked at the street which was visible from the balcony that we were locating. All of us turned our gazes to see what she was looking at and I gasped loudly when I saw.

Bella was walking and laughing with a tall girl. But what was more important, Bella was holding a small girl in her arms.

A small girl.. I had a girl… I had a daughter.

I was feeling so dizzy that I couldn't even comprehend what my family was saying. The only thing that my mind seemed to comprehend right now was the fact that I had a little daughter. It was dark outside, and I couldn't quite see what she looked like apart from her dark hair, but I knew she had to be the most beautiful thing in the world. She was mine…

They walked and my eyes tracked them until they were out of my sight.I just knew that even if I would never had the chance to be with her, I could just watch her and cheerish that.

Alice's loud protests were getting even more louder that it was hard to ignore.

"I'm sure she was Bella. The man who was with them was Chief Swan! Who was that little girl anyway?" Alice was fully scraming and punching Emmett's arm which was holding her in her place. I was so focused on Bella and the little girl that I didn't even see Chief Swan. Apperantly, Alice saw and wanted to go after them, but my family was blocking her.

"She can be Bella, but sweetheart you couldn't catch them even if you ran to them" My dad tried to make Alice shut up, but Alice was still grumbling.

"We can visit Chief Swan tomorrow, and see if Bella is still here" my mom said excitedly making Alice nod frantically while clapping her hands.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even noticed the glares that Alice were sending to me until she slapped my arm.

"How can you stay so calm? She is Bella, I'm sure! How?" she asked. I knew there was no way other than to tell the truth.

"I know. She is Bella." I said. I felt all of their eyes on me , but I chose to stare at my coffe mug instead.

"WHAT?" Alice shouted near my ear slapping my arm repeatedly at the same time. "You knew, and you didn't tell me!"

My whole family was looking at me with curious eyes, and I knew that I had to tell them everything right now.. That was the first (and the least) thing I could do for my little daughter.

"Alice stop! Just listen to me! " I grabbed her arms. She needed to sit still to hear what I would say next.

I knew she would hit me afterwards anyway…

* * *

Thank you for reading!

Finally Edward's side of the story:)

Please let me know what you think!:)

Have a nice day!


	5. Chapter 5

"_Alice stop! Just listen to me! " I grabbed her arms. She needed to sit still to hear what I would say next. _

_I knew she would hit me afterwards anyway… _

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**EPOV**

Alice stopped hitting me and looked at me with narrowed eyes.

"Listen to what? Your emo crap?" She stopped, took a deep breath and continued. "She came to see me, but I couldn't bring myself to share it with you because I'm so fucking sorry and broody'!" She mimicked my voice making Emmett snicker. How he could manage to laugh at times like this was beyond me.

"You could call me. She was my best friend. I lost her because of you!" Alice continued making me cringe.

I felt tears in my eyes, but tried to suck it up. My mom noticed my troubled expression, though. "Alice, leave Edward alone. People break up everytime. It was just unfortunate, that's all." She said. How optimistic my mom was… She always thought the best about me. Little did she know…

"Bella was like my sister, but she didn't even call me after they broke up." Alice continued to protest, but my dad silenced her this time.

"Let's listen to Edward, Alice. You had this conversation a million times before. It's not his fault" My dad said. Yeah, Alice's blaming me about Bella's departure from our lives was nothing new. But, she was absolutely right… Alice threw me a nasty glance, but stopped talking.

I knew it was now or never. I was also aware of the consequences of the thing that I was about to do. But I needed to do it. I wanted to do it. I wanted someone other than me and Bella to know that I had a daughter. I didn't even know what to do after then, but now I needed to tell them…

"Bella is here. She came to see me today" I said and paused to think about what to say next. Alice threw a even nastier glance to me, and I knew that she was demanding me to continue.

I thought and tried to find a nicer way to say it, but there was none. So I decided just to blurt it out. There was no way that they would take the news easy.

"The summer that we last saw her, she was pregnant. With my baby." I said with a rush and looked at my hands. My mom gasped dramatically while Alice screamed out a loud '_What '_ My dad and Emmett stayed silent. Their eyes gave away how surprised they were, though..

"I.. umm I don't know what to say, but know that I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I did what I did, and I'm sorry that I did hide it from you.."

"Edward! Just fucking stop saying sorry! What happened? What did you do!?"Alice glowered with furious eyes. I knew she could guess what happened, but she wanted me to say it, and she looked furious.. I couldn't even look at my parent's faces, so I just decided to continue.

"I was so scared. I didn't mean to… But I was so fucking scared. I was still a student. I left her. Alone.. I left her cash to get an abortion. I can't…" I felt a sharp sting on my cheek, and stopped my rambling. Looking up, I saw my mom's furious teary eyes. She held her hand as if she couldn't believe she just hit me, but she didn't look apologetic. She was far from it.

"How could you! How!" My dad was holding her in her place, But he seemed as if he wanted to beat the shit out of me.

I expected the hitting from Alice, but she stayed silent. When I looked at her, I wished she had hit me too… She was just looking at me with tears streaming down her face. This was bad.. This was worse than I could manage. I could handle the screaming and cursing and hitting, but I couldn't handle a silently crying Alice. I didn't know if it was possible, but I hated myself even more.

"Edward.." Alice whispered. "Why did you do it? We grew up together. She was like a sister to me. She loved you too much. She was family. How could you.." Her words stabbed my heart over and over again. I didn't know the answers, either. The only thing I knew was the fact that I was fucking repentant…

"I.. Alice, I don't know. I was just…"

Mom stopped me again, but this time only with her words. "Don't say scared, Edward! It's not an excuse! We would have been more than happy!" she said loudly and turned to my dad. "Why are you just sitting there silent?! It's your son, too!"

My dad flinched, but he stayed calm. He was always fucking calm. "I know Esme, but there is no point in screaming. He knows he let us down. " He said looking at me pointedly. Emmett was sitting still, though. He was just looking at me with a wide opened mouth.

"But I wonder something." My dad continued and I braced myself. " Did she really have an abortion."

"No, she didn't. She told me today. I have a daughter." I said and found myself smiling despite the situation. I had a daughter, small and dark haired like her mother.. Alice made my smile froze, though.

"You have a daughter? For God's sake! How can you call yourself a father? " she hissed under her breath, but everyone heard it.

"I'm so sorry" I whispered. I knew that it didn't mean anything to them, but I just wanted them to know.

"Stop, stop, stop.. " Alice said loudly. "The little girl that Bella was holding. That's her, isn't she? They are here in Forks now, and you decided to be sorry!"

I opened my mouth to tell her it was not like that. I spent every minute of my everyday thinking about the thing I did for the last five years, and it was not like that I only cared just because they were in the town. Alice didn't allow me to talk, though.

"Save it Edward. I don't know if I can forgive you." Alice's words hurt, but I did expect them.

My mom didn't even say anything. She just stood up and walked. Alice followed her leaving me with Emmett and my dad.

Emmett suddenly stood up and walked away, too. He saw Bella practically as a sister, and I knew that he was furious. It was weird that he stayed silent.

"I don't know what to say, but I know we need to talk. I just need to go after your mom and sister. Go home, son." My dad said patting my shoulder and I felt shocked.

Why didn't he give me what I deserved? Why didn't he punch me? It would make me feel loads better for sure. I just felt even guiltier now.

Not only did I abondoned my little girl, but I also made my family dissappointed…

My little girl… Thinking about her made me smile again. She made me smile despite everything, and I didn't even want her in the beginning. Was that fair to her?

Alice was right. How could I call myself a father? But I wanted to.. I so wanted to. I wanted to see her little face, hear her voice… The feeling of longing mixed itself with guilt. How could I long for something I didn't even know?

My dad, mom and Alice left, but Emmett was still wandering around the bar. I wanted to go and talk to him,but I just didn't know what to say other than I was sorry. And I said that so much that I was sure it was irritating. I not only ruined my life but I also hurt my family.

I decided to say goodnight to Emmett. The worst he could do was punch me, and I was ready and willing for it.

"Emmett, I'm heading home. So, goodnight." I said and waited for him to say something back. When I thought he wasn't going to answer, he cleared his throat. I turned to him, and my jaw met with his punch. It hurt like hell, and made me whimper a little bit, but I welcomed it. He scowled at me.

"I'm not sorry I hurt you." He said. "I'm fucking shocked. I'd never expect it from you. I don't know why you did this. Why? " Emmett sounded so wise, so serious. He was not like that normally, but our situation was nowhere near normal anyway.

"I don't know Em. I was just scared and selfish…" I sighed loudly and Emmett gave me a disapproving look. I knew they were no excuse, but I had nothing else to say.

"So, brace yourself. I've never seen mom like that before. Mom and Alice will make it hell for you." He said smirking. "But you deserve every second of it" he added with the same damn smirk.

"Thanks Emmett" I said dryly and walked towards the exit. He made no attempt to stop me. I guessed it would be like that with my family from now on.

Later that night, I allowed myself to get lost in the thoughts about my daughter. Everything inside me screamed for her. I wanted her, and I felt even more selfish because of that. I practically left her and now like I spoiled kid I wanted her. I was disgusting.

I couldn't know what to do with myself, so I just sat in silence. I tried to imagine my little girl's face, but it just made me nervous and uncomfortable. I was afraid that Bella wouldn't allow me to see her, but what about my daughter? What if she wouldn't like me and wouldn't want to see me? What would I do then?

Just I was about to doze off, the sound of the doorbell woke me up. It was too late and I wondered if mom and Alice came to harass me more. It was definitely something they could do.

Opening the door, I saw my dad looking tired and frustrated. He walked inside without saying something and sat down in my living room. I stared at him, open mouthed and big eyed. What the hell he was doing in my apartment? It was two in the morning, for God's sake!

Two in the morning?! Did I really sit that much, just thinking?"

He saw my face and rolled his eyes. "Don't look at me like that. Your mom kicked me out. Apperantly, I stayed too silent for her liking." He groaned and made himself comfortable streching on the sofa.

I was the greatest nuisance ever. I now caused arguments even between my family. I was no good. I was just…

Dad stopped my inter monologue before I got a chance to lower myself even more in my mind. "Stop looking like that. Your mom and Alice are right. You are an asshole, but I want to listen to whole story. You didn't want the baby then, but now what? And why?"

I gaped at him more. He was giving me a chance to explain myself. Alice didn't want to listen to me, but he was willing.. Then maybe, he would help me. Not that I deserved it, but maybe he would help me meet my daughter.

"Aren't you pissed?" I asked with a reserved voice. He should be pissed. He should now be sitting with my mom and Alice and talking about how an asshole I was.

" Of course I'm pissed. Bella was really important for all of us. I just want to learn your side of the story better before judging you completely, that's all… I believe in you, and want to continue to do so."

Believe in me? I wanted to laugh, it was funny. Maybe I was losing my mind, but I just found it so damn funny. He was wrong, so wrong… There was nothing to say more. I just said everything in the cafe.

" I told my side. It's just like that. You should be ashamed of me." I said sitting down the opposite side. He seemed thoughtful for a second, and then he looked at me.

"You've changed so much ever since you broke up. You were so full of life before than. Everyone noticed it, but we didn't say anything. We thought school was hard on you, but it wasn't that. I know that now. I know you too well, Edward. You may not want that kid before, but you killed yourself over it. You killed yourself with guilt. Your behaviour in the last few years explains everything."

His words made me sob like a baby. I was normally ashamed of crying, but I just couldn't help it, so I let it go. I didn't know he observed me so well. But he was Carlisle, my hero. And he was once again here for me…

"How?" I managed to say between my heavy crying.

"I'm a father too, remember?" He said with a small smile "I saw guilt, regret and longing in your eyes tonight. Your mom was harsh, yeah. But she's a mother, she feels for Bella. She is also dissapointed in you" He said hugging me awkwarldy. "Now quit crying. Tell me. Am I wrong?"

With that I told him everything. My last five years… I told him about the guilt that ate me alive for the last five years. I told him about how I considered myself as a murderer. I told him about how I sat and imagined my baby and how I missed Bella… With every word, I felt myself even more relieved and continued to tell him more. I talked until nothing was left to say…

"So I don't deserve my baby, but I just… I couldn't help myself but want her. Did you see her tonight?" I asked my dad hoping that he saw my daughter too. He didn't say anything in the cafe, so I didn't know.

"I couldn't. I just saw Bella, and I didn't recognize her." He said and continued with a fierce tone."And you may be right. You may not deserve her, but you have a chance to be a father to her, to deserve her.. All you should do is try. She is right here in Forks." He said and contiued with patting my chest where my heart located. "And she is right here in your heart. I know it ."

"Dad, why?" I asked again. Maybe I was being ridiculous, but it was unbelievable that he thought I deserved a second chance. But he misunderstood my question.

"Why? Are you mental? Don't you want her? If you sit here and brood, you will be just who your mother and Alice think you are! A selfish bastard.. But you have a chance to prove them and yourself wrong. And don't think that your mom and sister don't love you. They love you so much, hence they are so dissappointed."

His words made perfect sense. I just needed the courage to confront Bella about my daughter. I needed to ask her, and beg her if neccesary. I needed to prove myself to her and my daughter first. My mom and sister would see then. I smiled and looked at my dad.

"So you don't love me enough, huh? Because you're here, sitting."

He punched my arm snorting. "Smartass… "

He continued with a serious face."I can just guess how you feel, learning that you are a father and all. If you screw it up this time too, I will make you suffer. " he said pointedly and I thanked God that one of my parents was here with me guide me.

"And one more thing. Your mom and Alice are furios. And it will be better for you if you talk with Bella before they do. Or else they may found an "Anti-Edward" club or something" he chuckled.

The notion of my daughter being a member of a club named Anti Edward made me cringe. She was too young, anyway. But the idea of her being surrounded by women who hated my guts was no better. And it was possible.

"Alice hates me." I whispered and my dad rolled his eyes again.

"Seriously Edward! Do you think it is easy for us? It's not. They just need time. Everything will be fine. But you have to work hard."

I nodded. I knew I had to work hard.

"I'll talk to Bella." I looked at my watch "This morning sounds good? Can I come to work late" I asked my dad feeling like a little kid.

"That's ok. You can change your shift." He shrugged.

"I could just go and talk now, but I don't think she will appreciate it." I said picturing a sleepy Bella with holding my daughter. The image made me smile and my dad looked at me as if I was mental. Everyone would think I was mental considering the amount of crying and smiling thing I did in just last thirty minutes.

"Just imagining my daughter." I loved saying my daughter, and it made me smile even more. "She must be beautiful. " I said and my dad let out a chuckle.

"Yeah, she must be perfect. Her mom is beautiful and her asshole of a dad is not that bad, either." He said smirking slyly. He could say everything to me. It didn't matter. I was elated that he gave me a chance to speak my mind.

"She has dark hair, probably brown like Bella's. But I couldn't see her face. She must be pale, though. We're both pale." I continued enthusiastically. My dad stopped smirking and he was smiling gently at me now.

"I need to go now. I'll talk to your sister and mom. You'll be ok. " He said and stood up to leave.

"Wait, didn't you say that mom kicked you out?"

He smirked again. "Esme has a soft spot for me son. She will let me in." He said wiggling his eyebrows and I tried to wipe the mental image from my mind. They were so openly affectionate that sometimes it was disturbing to watch them.

"Try to sleep. You look like shit. You don't want to scare your little girl. " He said and got outside. "By the way, I can't wait to meet my little granddaughter."

With that he left leaving me alone in my apartment. I knew I needed to sleep a little bit, it was already three in the morning, but I just didn't know how to calm myself down enough to sleep. I considered staying awake till nine and then going to Bella's, but my dad was right. My little girl would probably be scared of me.

I made a cup of herbal tea and gulped it down quickly. After rinsing the cup, I stripped down to my boxers and lay down in my bed. Forcing my eyes close, I tried to sleep. After some tossing and turning, I managed to shut my mind off. The next time I opened my eyes, it was seven in the morning. Four hours of sleep, not bad..

After a long shower and a quick breakfast, I was ready to leave the house, but I decided to wait a little bit longer. I didn't want to wake my daughter. However, I managed to sit just for thirty minutes. I was so nervous, but at the same time I wanted to run towards them. I lost so much time, and from now on I didn't want to waste a minute. Grabbing my wallet and car keys, I stepped outside.

Although I drove slower than usual because of my shaky hands, the familiar drive was short. I parked my car, and sat inside for a few minutes. There was no way it would be easy on me, so actually there was no point in sitting and thinking. I deserved everything Bella would say or do. With that in my mind, I got out of my car,and forced my shaky legs to walk towards Bella's door.

The memory of Bella opening the door and jumping into my arms to kiss me came to me, but I had to compose myself. I shook my hand and pressed the doorbell.

The sound of the bell made me jump and I took a deep breath to relax myself, but it just caused my insides hurt. Fidgeting nervously, I waited for someone to open the door and prayed that that someone would not be Chief Swan.

Moments later, I heard footsteps and braced myself.

Nothing could prepare me for what I saw, though. Nothing…

The one who opened the door was Bella. She was wearing pale green pjs and she looked like she just woke up. I made her wake up. I disturbed her!… _Just fucking_ _Perfect, Cullen!_

But the thing that made the air leave my lungs was the girl she was carrying. She was holding my daughter in her arms. She was holding my brown haired, green eyed daughter who was looking directly at me.

My girl had green eyes, my eyes… She was alive and she looked healthy breathing in with that little nose of hers. I just wanted to sit down and cry, but I wanted to laugh at the same time. I felt guilt and joy together.. It was too overwhelming. I just wanted to grab her and hold her to my chest, but I knew it was not an option.

Then, my beautiful daughter yawned making me even more mesmerized. I was sure that I was gawking at her. She let out a little sound while yawning, and then blushed a gorgeous pink. She blushed.. Like her mother… I was officially putty in her little hands, and she didn't even know it. It was all because of me..

I felt the familiar guilt wash over me once again, but Bella's voice got my attention.

"Edward." Bella's frustrated voice caused me to avert my eyes from my daughter. Bella was looking at me strangely. As if she was scared… There was no need for her to be scared. She had the power to make my little girl stay away from me. I should be the one who was scared..

I found my voice, but my eyes again found my daughter who was now playing with her mama's hair.

"Bella, can we talk?"

* * *

Thank you for reading!

Please let me know what you think?

Whose point of view do you want to read their talk?

Have a good day!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

BPOV

I loved sleeping so much… It was the only time that I could stop thinking, and it was like a miracle. Now that I was in Forks, I needed to shut off my mind more than anything. Despite everything that happened in my first day in Forks, I slept like a log, and it was again a miracle..

However, the miracle didn't last as long as I wanted it to ,because I woke up with the loud voice of the doorbell nine in the morning.

I hoped that someone else would go get it, but I knew that my dad was already in work. And waking up Rose always required more than just a door bell, she was a heavy sleeper. Knowing that I had no choice other than to get up , I got out of bed mumbling under my breath at the same time..

"Mommy.."

I looked at the little bed that my dad put for Amie and saw that she was wide awake sitting and trying to wear her Hello Kitty slippers. I cursed mentally at whomever was in front of the door. Amie was tired after coming all the way from Seattle to Forks and it couldn't hurt her to sleep a little bit more.

Wordlessly, I offered my hand to her and her little one grabbed it. But then my little princess Amie decided that she didn't want to walk and ordered me to carry her.

"Momma, up please." She said raising her arms. I could never say no to her innocent face.

"You know how to walk, honey, and you have your favorite slippers on" I teased her but held her in my arms her anyway. We went downstairs together to open the door. It was probaby Sue I thought. She wanted to see Amie so much, but last night she was busy with some problem related to her daughter, so she couldn't come to visit us.

The moment I opened the door, I wished I had just ignored the doorbell and continued to sleep…

The last person I wanted to see was the one who woke me up from my peaceful sleep. Just my luck!

My stomach twisted in a weird way, and my heart went crazy. What the hell he was doing here?

Why did I come to Forks, again? It was the worst decision ever…

Edward stood outside looking in my eyes with an expression I knew too well. I wanted to slam the door to his face for looking at me like that. He used to look at me like that… He had no right to give that look to me anymore, though.

His gaze suddenly shifted to Amie,and my whole body froze. I was holding Amie!

He was looking at Amie…

Amie was looking at him…

I felt instant jealousy inside me. Amie was mine, just mine.. He had no right to show up in the wee hours of the morning and look at her. She was mine!

The second time the urge to slam the door to his face emerged inside me, but something in his expression stopped me death in my tracks. Amie yawned loudly and blushed, and Edward's irritating, stupid gaze turned into something soft. He was looking at her with wonder in his eyes and maybe _love? _

No way! He was a jerk who wasn't capable of love. He didn't love me, and he didn't love Amie enough to want her in the first place, so why would he love her now? He was just probably here to ask me to leave the town. That was possible. That was definitely something he would do..

But again his expression seeemed so loving, caring, and it scared me, so much. I did not want to share Amie.. I did not want him to want Amie. I didn't want Amie to want him.. It would kill me if she liked him…

I instantly felt myself bad because of my horrid thoughts. Every little girl needed a father, but I just didn't want to share my girl with Edward. To say that I was confused would be the understatement of the century.

Edward was still looking at Amie with fascination, and I felt myself soften. Just a little bit… Ok, so he wanted to be Amie's father, but he needed try so hard to earn that title. Soo hard… My little girl deserved the best, and he was nowhere near that. But I couldn't find it in myself to avoid my girl from seeing her dad when she had the chance.

Yes, Edward definitely had to prove himself first…

He would be always sperm donor in my eyes, though…

I shook my head to get rid of those thoughts. I didn't even know what he wanted. Maybe my theory about him wanting us to leave Forks was true.

I cleared my throat to get attention, but he didn't even moved. He just kept staring at Amie.

"Edward.." Frustration was obvious in my voice, but I didn't even care. He finally looked at me with that stupid soft expression, and I tried hard not to roll my eyes_. Looking at me like that won't help you, Cullen!_

Just when I thought he would gawk at me like he did with Amie, he said the most ridiculous thing ever.

"Bella, can we talk?"

What was there to talk? In my mind there was nothing to talk. But I guess by moving here, I caused a lot of mess in his mind, so there was so many things to talk. At least for him.

I didn't want to talk, though. I just wanted to go inside my room and sulk like a little girl who didn't want to share her favorite toy. But Amie wasn't my toy…

"About what?" I found myself asking holding Amie even closer to me in a protective mode.

He looked at me sheepishly and then Amie. I rolled my eyes.. _Of couse I know what you want to talk about _I said inside, but I let him suffer. I wanted him suffer…

"Mm.. You know… about our.."

I noticed that he was going to blurt it out next to Amie, and it was the last thing I wanted. Amie was shy and silent most of the time, but she always listened, always… I knew it from the interesting questions and stories she came up with. She knew everything happened in our lives. Sneaky little thing…

_Our what? Daughter? No, she is mine!_ I screamed inside me.

"Amie, why don't you go wake up Rose. Make me pancakes while I talk to my friend here. I'm hungry!" I said and put her down. She looked at me with big eyes and then Edward. My heart was thumping against my chest. There was no way she could know… Rose and I never talked about Edward when she was around us… In fact, we never talked about Edward at all…

"Ok mommy" Amie said and walked inside the house. I looked after her, and when I saw her climbing up the stairs carefully, I breathed in relief.

"What do you want?" I asked Edward. My voice came out rude and he cringed visibly.

"I want to talk" He said but it sounded like a question_. It's your turn to suffer, Cullen_.. I said inside my head. Maybe I was being bitter, but it was nice to see him fidget for a change.

"So, talk" I said without looking at his face.

"Here?" He asked looking at our modest patio and sounding surprized. I nearly laughed at his question. Did he expect me to invite him inside when Amie was inside? He must be out of his mind. He had a serious explaining to do before I let him be anywhere near Amie.

"Yeah." I answered. Being cold and distant was effortless in my part. Of course I felt a heartache, I had really loved him, and he still was the same as I remembered, but he wasn't causing my heart to go overdrive with love like he used to do. I just felt nervous and frustrated around him now.

"Ok then" He said and sat down my dad's favorite chair. I felt the urge to make him stand up, but I kept my mouth shut. _Don't sit my daddy's chair_… Yep, It would be so childish..

"You sure know how to make yourself comfortable" I said sarcastically while sitting down too. "But you were always like that. One for comfort.." I said hoping that my words were somewhat hurting him..

"You're right…. whatever you say is right… I…" he was rambling pulling out his hair at the same time.

"Come straight to the point, please. I don't have time" I said and just as he was about to open his mouth, the front door of the house opened and a sleepy Rosalie poked her head out.

"What the hell Bella? If you want pancakes, make them yourself." Amie was peeking at us behind Rose's leg at the same time.

"I have a guest here Rose." I said pointedly and prayed that she would understand and leave it. But of course I had no luck. She looked at Edward and turned to me.

"Oooh, a hot guest!." she joked laughing and wiggling her eyebrows. Why did she have to be so crude? She always encouraged me to date, but I never dated anyone after Ed.. asshole. He was the only man I had ever been with. This fact drove Rosalie crazy. She wanted me to have a life and be happy, but I just couldn't bring myself to be with someone.

Rosalie looked at Edward from head to toe again and her gaze lingered at his eyes. She arched one of her eyebrows looking at me and I knew that she understood. Amie had the exact copy of Edward's eyes. I nodded, but instead of going inside Rose decided to make herself comfortable. She sat down the other chair and looked directly at Edward.

"Hi asshole! Opps, sorry it slipped." She said smiling wickedly.

"Rose, Amie's behind you!" I yelled and Amie giggled. Rose turned to look at Amie with a shocked expression.

"I didn't know she was standing behind me. She is silent." She complained loudly, but when she saw my deathly gaze, she relented. "Anyway, we're making breakfast. Come join us when you're done. I guess it won't be too long." She scoffed looking at Edward, but he was just looking at Amie.

Rose saw his look and looked at me. She knew I was torn, but she thought that I should let Amie be with his dad despite everything he had done to me.. She gave me a small smile and turned to Amie.

"Aren't you sneaky?" Rose asked carrying Amie inside and kissing her cheek repeatedly making her giggle even more.

I turned my head towards Edward and found him smiling brightly. The jealousy and anger emerged inside me again, but I didn't act on them. I just sat and looked at my hands.

"She is beautiful. God, she is so beautiful Bella.." He whispered in awe.

"Yes she is" I whispered too. It was so overwhelming sitting with him and talking about Amie, but I just had to do it. I was the one who decided to come to Forks… I knew the consequences. The only thing I could do from now on was to hope that everything would be better.

"Bella.. I know it means nothing, but I'm so fucking sorry…" he sighed and dropped his head. I had a few colorful responses, but I held my tongue. I wondered what he would say..

"What I did… It is horrible… I was scared, just fucking scared. I ran away from you.. from my daughter. It was the…"

What the hell?? _He was scared… _He had nothing else to say? Of course I knew he was scared… His actions showed this clearly five years ago… I was even more scared, though…

"I know." I said bluntly. "You were scared shitless, because it was going to end your life, right? But guess what Edward, I was even more scared than you… Shocking?" I asked sarcastically.

My eyes were filled with tears of anger, but I was determined that I wouldn't cry. He looked pretty shaken too , but he didn't say anything. We just sat silent for a minute.

"I ruined my own life myself.." He whispered all of a sudden. "I lived with regret, longing, guilt. I lived thinking that I killed my own kid. You can call me everything you want, but I can't thank you enough. Thank you, Bella.. For keeping her."

His words made something inside me shift. He sounded broken, sad.. He sounded as if he meant what he was saying… Of course I expected him to feel shame and maybe a little bit guilt. We grow up together, and I knew Edward good enough to know that he would feel those things about leaving me. However, I didn't expect him to think himself as a murderer. Yes, he was a jerk, asshole, bastard, but I wouldn't call him exactly a murderer. It was too much… Even for him…

I felt his gaze on me, but I didn't say anything…

"I thought that you had an abortion. When I truly understood what I did, what I caused it killed me, Bella… It still kills me… It ruined me… But yesterday, you came and just… you just… saved me."

I looked at him and saw tears in his eyes. His eyes looked impossibly green, and I had to avert my gaze to avoid getting lost in them.

"It was hard." I found myself saying. "You left just leaving a note and money." I laughed humourlessly and he cringed. "My boyfriend whom I loved so much left me when he learnt I was 't it like a soap opera?" I said laughing again and he looked pained.

He opened his mouth to say something, but I just needed to continue. To get it out of my chest..

"I didn't get pregnant myself Edward, you were there effectively participating..But you blamed me.. I was more scared than you. I was just starting collage.. You just blamed me and left! Don't give me any excuses now." My voice was getting higher and higher, and I knew that I should keep it in control, but I couldn't help myself.

"And don't tell me that you lived in regret and guilt! It means nothing to me! You did it all yourself! It is nothing compared to what I went through! Do you know how hard it was to tell my dad? Do you know how hard it was to raise her and go to school at the same time? You don't have any fucking idea, because you ran away. I was all alone…Now that everything is smooth and I'm in Forks , you decide to play daddy. How nice!"

Tears were making my vision blurry and probably my face was tomato red. I stopped my screaming and took a deep breath… It felt so good to say all those things to him. There were a hundred more things I wanted to say, but I felt so emotionally tired all of a sudden. I didn't even want to open my mouth to say something more.

"I'll never forgive myself. Never… " he whispered shakily, and I looked up him to see that he was also crying. " I missed you everyday… Every single day, I longed for you… I thought about the baby we created.. I don't even deserve to see your faces, but I can't help myself. She is alive, here… I can't help myself Bella, please…"

He wanted Amie… It was clear now… My heart told me to slap him on the face and tell him to stay the fuck away from us. My jealous, over protective, broken heart… However my mind told me something different. Whether I liked it or not, he was Amie's father. Maybe Amie would love her. Maybe they would have a precious bond between them like me and my dad. I didn't want to steal it from Amie, but I didn't want her to hurt either. Edward didn't deserve her… Not the least… But Amie deserved to have a father. Maybe everything would be just… nice…

"Please what?" I asked. "What do you want Edward?" I already knew, but I wanted him to voice it. I wanted to hear him saying that, I desperately wanted to believe him for the sake of Amie.

"Please let me see her.. Let me be with her." His voice was still shaky, but his face was bright with determination. "I want her in my life. I just need her too much."

There he said it… The jealousy and anger was still there, but I kept myself reminding that it was for Amie.

"How can I know it is not something you want to do out of guilt? You felt guilty all those years, and know you want to relieve yourself by playing good daddy for a little while? How can I know that you won't leave her?" I asked looking directly in his eyes.

"She's my daughter, Bella…" he was going to say more, but I stopped him…

"She was your daughter in the first place, too. You didn't want her then. So why now?" I asked and answered myself."It's because she's here and you want to get rid of your guilt with the help of her."

I didn't exactly believe what I was saying,I didn't want to believe them, but I said them anyway to see his reaction. I wanted him to prove me wrong.. I so wanted…

He seemed so shocked, overwhelmed, pained…

"Bella.. I know you have no reason to believe me, but I love her. I saw you last night. I couldn't see her face, though. All I could think about was her face.. I thought about her all night… I know there is no excuse for what I've done, but I've learnt my lesson. I fucking promise you that I will never do it again… Just give me a chance, please.. I'm begging you, and I'll beg you until you let me be with her. Even if it takes forever…"

He sounded so desperate. He was not the Edward I knew. The Edward I knew had never begged and had never sounded this desperate. He had always got he wanted without difficulty. He had never had to try this hard. However; the Edward who sat with me right now was begging me with tears… He was a different man now… He was a man who wanted to be a real father.

"I don't trust you, but I don't want Amie to grow up without a father. I know how it feels like to have only one of your parents, and I don't want it for her. But I don't trust you Edward, and I don't know if I can... Just give it time.. I won't keep Amie away from you, but I don't want to tell anything to her right now" I said and his face broke into a huge smile..

"Thank you Bella, so much." He said smiling and I didn't know why the hell he sounded so joyful. I didn't say I allowed him to see Amie. At least, not right now… He had to work too hard before that.

"What do I do now?" He asked again with that stupid, eager and utterly beautiful smile.

"Go to work, I don't know" I said and my voice gave away my irritation.

"No. About Amie, I mean" Him saying Amie did funny things to me. I felt the familiar jealously with something unknown, but I brushed it off.

"Can I meet her, officially? I mean you can say her that I'm a friend. Please?" He gave me the eyes that Amie gave whenever she wanted something. They were so much alike that it was scary.

"Not so fast Edward "I said and his grin fell off. "I don't know how to introduce you. I don't know what to say. She will ask questions. I'm not ready."

I knew it was selfish and childish,I didn't want to be mature, though. How could he think that I would give Amie willingly to his open arms? Me being reluctant about keeping them apart didn't mean that I was willing to let him near Amie so easily..

I would let him be with Amie eventually, but I wanted to see him try first. I just needed to see him make an effort for Amie. He should prove himself first.

"Oh, ok sorry" He sounded so broken, and I felt a little bit guilty. However I pushed it away quickly chanting inside me '_He left you… He left you…" _

"We can talk about it later. We both need to think. Maybe once your initial shock wears off, you won't want…" He cut me off before I could finish.

"Don't say that, please.. I want her so much.. It's not about the guilt. I just love her..." He mumbled looking into my eyes.

"Please believe me Bella…" He added when I stayed silent. I snorted in response. Yeah it was so easy to believe him!

"You are the one who is going to make me believe Edward. Show that you're worth it. Think about it. Now I have to go inside."

I turned to go inside, but he grabbed my arm gently. The moment his hand touched my bare skin, my whole body felt like in fire. One touch of his hand, and I was burning… I felt so powerless, so tired… I didn't have the luxury to feel tired,though. I needed to be strong, I needed to be immune to him… He was in my life again just for Amie, and it would stay this way…

"What?" I asked and it sounded sharper than I intended to.

"I'm sorry I'm pushing you so much today, but when can we talk again?" He sounded so helpless.

"I don't know Edward. It's a small town, I'm sure I can find you when I want to."

Saying this, I opened the front door and get inside. Edward still stood there hands in pocket looking at me when I closed the door.

Taking a deep breath, I sat down on the floor letting my tears fall down. Rose was immediately by my side hugging me to her side.

"Let it go, B. Let it go… " she whispered kissing my head.

"What will I say to Amie,Rose? I can't keep them apart. But what if he leaves her, too? I can't handle him leaving once again… It will hurt Amie…"

I was fully bawling this point not minding that I was sitting on cold stone with just a thin pijama on. After a few minutes, my senses came back to me, and I abruptly stood up.

"Oh my God. Where is Amie? She heard me crying?" I asked frantically looking at Rose. She just smiled gently and shook her head.

"No, she is upstairs, changing. You know how picky she is about her clothes." She said laughing. "I wonder where she learnt that" She said playfully and I rolled my eyes. I never cared about clothes, and Amie's love about clothes and make up products was all Rose's doings.

"Definitely not from me" I said gesturing my plain pale green pjs making Rose wrinkle her nose. We both started giggling,and when my little girl came downstairs wearing a lilac dress and white ballet shoes, I felt perfect. No matter what, everything would be perfect. It had to be…

* * *

Thank you for reading!

I had a shitty weekend, but writing this chapter kept me happy and sane. And today is my best friend's birthday! He's twenty two! (I just wanted to share, don't know why:))

Please let me know what you think about the chapter...

Have a nice day!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**BPOV**

" Amie, don't run! Walk! Tv isn't going anywhere." I scolded Amie a bit harsher than I intended to, but she was running towards the tv, and I feared that she would fall and hurt herself. Also I hated that she watched that much tv.

"She's addicted to tv" I whined turning to Rose who was still busy with eating. That girl ate like a pig, but she had the most gorgeous body ever.

"We all watch tv, Bella. No big deal. It's not like she is watching Gossip Girl or Sex and the City, She just watches cartoons." She said rolling her eyes.

"But, it's still unhealthy. She doesn't have any friends. I had Alice when I was little." I sighed.

"Do you want me to pop out one so they can be buddies?" Rose joked making me gawk at her. I couldn't understand her sense of humour sometimes.

"No, Rose. Don't do it for my sake" I said back dryly and she laughed.

"You worry too much. She's fine. She'll have lots of friends once she starts kindergarten next year."

Maybe she was right, maybe wasn't, but I promised myself that I would spare much more time for Amie. I had tried my best in Seattle, but with school and everything else going on, it never felt enough. Rosalie always assured me that I was the best mother, though… I just didn't believe her.. Now was the time to prove myself that I was a good mom.

I was going to let Edward into her life for the same reason. It hurt me too much to let him see Amie, but I didn't want Amie to blame me about her father's absence years later. It would kill me… I wanted her to get to know her father when she had the chance. I just hoped that Edward would be sensible enough not to screw it all up.

"Stop brooding Grumpy Bear!" Rose pushed my chair with her knee nearly making me fall in the process. I yelped and she snickered.

"I swear you're not normal" I said looking at her small and womanly form which mislead people at the first sight. She looked delicate and thin, but she was really really strong.

"You're not either. Now I need to pack up, and when I'm done with it, I want to see your happy face. I don't want your grumpy face to be the last thing I see before leaving for Seattle." She said while rummaging through her belongings which were scattered all over the living room.

"You saw my red skirt?" She shouted making me roll my eyes and Amie giggle. Rose was.. just Rose. I got up to help her since there was no way she was going to find everything she needed among this mess.

Forty five minutes later, Rose was all ready to go, and I was getting teary eyed. She was looking at me from the corner of her eye with a solemn expression on her face.

"Bella.. Don't!" She warned me when she understood that I was going to cry. I couldn't help it. She was among the three people I loved the most in the world. Two of them were staying under the same roof with me right now, but Rose was leaving.. She became my light in my hardest days, and the fact that I was not going to see her daily like I used to was making my heart ache.

"I'll just miss you." I mumbled and Rose pulled me towards her hugging me.

"Me too. But we'll see each other as much as we can. You can't get rid of me"

"I know, but it's just not the same." I sniffed. I wanted to wail, but Amie's presence reminded me that I couldn't.

"Why are you sad?" She said crawling into my lap. I kissed her tiny head and Rose smiled brightly.

"She just remembered a sad movie she saw. You know momma, she always cries while watching movies." Rose said in a playful voice and Amie let out a tiny laughter.

Yes, it was my weakness, and Rose always made fun of me.

"You're mean" I pouted. Amie kissed my cheek making me smile like an idiot.

"I am not mean, momma." She said with her sweetest little voice. Yep, she was not mean, but that didn't mean she wasn't sneaky.

"No, darling. You're not. Rose is."

Just as Rose was about to open her mouth to give me an answer, the doorbell rang again making me nervous all over. Could it be Edward again? There was no way I could handle him for the second time today. Charlie was at work, and it was impossible for him to be home in the afternoon. So, Edward?

Sensing my discomfort, Rose stood up to open the door. My heart was beating frantically in my chest. I looked at Amie, and she was looking directly into my eyes. I gave her a shaky smile hoping she would buy it.

The familiar voice along with the sound of heels coming from the hall made me even more nervous. I quickly stood up and dropped Amie on the couch. She made an attempt to protest, but I ignored her pouting face. Was that really Alice? Edward told them?

I tried to move from my spot, but my legs were shaking too bad. I really wanted to see Alice, so much… But that meant that I had to tell her about Amie. Maybe she already knew.I tried to compose myself. It wouldn't be such a bad thing, but it surely would confuse Amie.

They entered the living room, and the moment my eyes met Alice's blue ones, every question in my head vanished. She was still small and beautiful. Her once short and spiky hair was now long and wavy, but other than that she was still the same Alice.

"Bella" She whispered and within seconds she was near me hugging me with her all might. I hugged her back breathing in her familiar scent. Her small body was shaking with sobs, and my state was no better from hers.

I heard a pair of heels and some perfectly manicured hands grabbed Alice's arms. Those hands weren't Rose's.

"Sssh Alice! Calm down." Esme whispered as she come stood in front of me.

I took a deep breath and look into her watery green eyes. Edward's and Amie's eyes… She cupped my cheeks and whispered.

"It's so good to see you my beautiful girl." With that, I threw my arms over her neck, and inhaled her scent greedily while crying.

"Amie, don't cry. She's crying because she is happy. Momma is not sad, sweetheart."

Rose's voice made me jump back to real world and compose myself. I quickly rushed towards Amie, and gathered her crying form into my arms. She never made a fuss when she cried. It was always silent tears,and seeing her crying was the most heartbreaking thing ever.

"Why are you crying, honey?" I asked combing her hair with my hands.

"You are crying." She whispered burying her face in the crook of my neck.

"Oh, I'm not crying anymore, so please don't cry." I said and she looked at me to see if I was lying. It was a dumb answer, but I couldn't find anything to say. When she saw I was indeed not crying anymore, she nodded and rested her head on my shoulder.

I looked up to see three pairs of eyes on myself. Esme and Alice were sitting the opposite couch looking at Amie and me intently. There was no way I could go back hiding in Seattle from now on, it was all open now. They weren't shocked.. It was so clear from their expressions that Edward told them, so it was my turn to spill.

I threw Rose a pointed look, and she immediately got what I was trying to say.

"Amie, come on. Let's go upstairs and play dress up with your Barbie's!" She said with an enthusiastic voice. She was an excellent actress. Amie looked at Rose, and then me. Apperantly she wanted to go with Rose, but she didn't want to leave me at the same time. My poor girl was torn.

"I'm ok, I promise. Go play with Rose, ok?" I asked kissing her head and she mumbled an ok before holding Rose's hand to go upstairs.

I watched her climbing up the stairs before looking at the two women who were sitting in front of me with open mouths.

"She's the prettiest thing ever." Esme said finally breaking the silence.

"Yes" My voice sounded raspy.

Alice finally stood up and came sit besides me. She was still crying, silently this time.

"I'm sorry I'm acting like a fussy kid, but I missed you so much Bella." She said making me and Esme smile.

"I missed you, too. Both of you.. "

"Why didn't you tell us, Bella? I mean I understand Edward was a huge asshole, but we would have been happy." Esme said without beating around the bush. She sounded upset; however, I didn't know if she was upset with me.

"I know, but I didn't know what to do… I… I was just starting collage, and I was so scared. I didn't even have time to comprehend it myself before I left for Seattle. I'm sorry if you're upset with me" I said looking at my hands. Alice's small hands grabbed one of mine and she held it tightly during my rambling.

"Why would I be upset with you? The only one who is responsible for all the mess is my asshole of a son. You have nothing to be sorry, Bella."

I looked up Esme's eyes, and saw nothing but sincerity in them.

"He told us everything, and I can't believe he did that to you!" Alice sounded furious, and I felt a little bit sorry for Edward. Tiniest bit…

"He says he's sorry." I mumbled still looking at my hands as if they were the most interesting things in the world.

"How kind of him." Alice rolled her eyes, but Esme cut her before she had a chance to say even more.

"You spoke to him? Hospital?" Esme sounded curious, but angry at the same time.

"Yeah, he came this morning to talk. We.. well, we talked.."

"That old bastard!" Esme's loud and harsh voice made both Alice and me jump.

"What the hell mom?" Alice asked, but that question seemed to made Esme even more furious.

"Yes, what the hell! How dare he?" She obviously didn't understand that Alice didn't have the slightest idea what she was screaming about.

"Mom, I really don't get it. What's going on?" This time Esme got it right, and threw a look at Alice.

"Your sneaky old dad didn't allow me to come here in the morning saying that it was impolite to visit Bella that early! He was just trying to give his asshole son a chance to talk to Bella! He knew Edward was here!" Esme was red by the time she finished, and I was sure that I was red, too. With embarassment…

She called Carlisle a bastard? Did they really have a fight because of Edward and me? That was not them, they were always really kind to each other, and the fact that they were arguing because of us made me feel really bad..

Alice was about to open her mouth to say something, but I talked before her.

"Yes, we talked Esme. Please don't argue with Carlisle over this. I know that Edward isn't your favorite person right now, but please just don't make it a problem between you and Carlisle. I just feel so guilty…"

"Far from being my favorite person." She mumbled and took a deep breath. "I don't want you to feel guilty. But Carlisle is just.. well he is just so infruating. He didn't say anything when Edward told us everything, and I have a feeling that he's helping Edward."

"He's his father, Esme." I said and she looked at me with narrowed eyes.

"Are you defending Edward?" she asked with an unbelieveing voice_. Hell no!_

"Of course, I'm not defending him. I don't even know if I can ever forgive him. But I hate that you're fighting over this. He's your son. You are a family." Maybe I sounded corny, but that was exactly how I felt. I was enduring all of these to give Amie the family, the father she deserved, and the said family were having a fight over this.

"You are our family, too. He needs to pay for what he did." Alice sounded furious too, but she sounded normal when compared to Esme. "He's the reason we were apart all those years." She added making me tear up again.

"I know he needs to pay ,but what can I do about it Alice? Hide Amie from him? No, I'm not gonna do it to her."

"Are you just going to give her to him? After everything he did?" Esme was looking at me as if I had two heads. But she was a mom, too. She needed to understand.

"No, I'm not just going to let him, but I'm going to let her see Amie eventually. He just needs to prove to me that he won't leave her. I.. I just don't want Amie to be without a father. It's hard to grow up with just one parent around." I said and Esme's eyes softened. She knew I always missed my mom even if I didn't have a chance to get to know her.

"I know sweetheart, but I just want to strangle my own son for what he did. It's just so ruthless! It's your choice, though. I can't say anything, but you should make him beg for Amie. Nothing less.." She sounded so vicious, but it was funny at the same time. Alice started to giggle and I couldn't help myself but to join her. Esme just looked at us with questions in her eyes

"Sorry mom. You just sound so funny." Alice said and then she looked at me. "But she's right Bella. We cannot tell you what to do, but you should make him work for it if you're going to let him see Amie."

"Don't worry about that." I said and they both smiled viciously making me feel sorry for Edward for the second time.

Finally, Esme forgot about Edward, and asked me about my past five years. I told them about my collage years, Amie's birth and everything that I could remember. They listened to me intently, and Alice cried even more.

I didn't know how long we talked, but there was no sound from Amie or Rose, and it made me worried. They were always loud while playing together, because Rose had a tendency to exaggerate everything she did making Amie laugh like a maniac. Alice noticed my troubled expression.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Amie and Rose. They are never this silent. I just wonder what they're doing" I said standing up.

"Did Edward meet Amie?" Esme asked and I had to laugh at her tone when she said Edward's name. I knew she loved Edward so much, but I was sure that it would take time for her to forgive Edward.

"He wanted to, but it's not that easy. I'm not ready." I said and she smiled brightly.

Just I was about to go upstairs, Rose came into living room holding a meek looking Amie. Her cheeks were bright red, and her lips were kind of red too… Rose looked at me with an apologetic expression, and realizationn dawned on to me…

"Rose, what did I tell you about applying make up to Amie?" I asked with a loud tone Amie cringed and wiggled out of Rose's arms. Rose let Amie go, and turned towards me with a glare that would put Esme into shame.

"She didn't want to play. She wanted to come downstairs and sit with you. It was the only way I could manage to keep her upstairs that long! Don't worry, just some lipstick and blush. You know I use organic stuff, anyway." She huffed and sat down next to Alice.

While Rose was introducing herself to Esme and Alice, I looked at Amie. She was looking back at me with a guilty expression on her pretty little face.

"Amie come here." I said and she came towards me with little steps. She stood in front of me and I pulled towards me.

"I told you before. You're too little for make up. You're already beautiful. Please don't do this again, ok?" I asked and she nodded. That was the hundredth time that we had this conversation and she always nodded. But then she always sneaked behind us and exprerimented with Rose's lipsticks. I hoped she would listen to me this time.

I glanced at Alice and Esme to see both of them smiling. Alice was like Amie when we were kids. She had always stolen Esme's make up kit to give us a make over when she was bored, and Emmett had always found us having an argument over it. Always… I was sure they were reminiscing those days right now.

I smiled back and looked at Amie's little curious face. She saw three foreign faces today, and I knew there was no way that she wasn't dying of curiosity.

I knew I had to introduce Alice and Esme to Amie. And I wanted to…They had every right to get to know her. It wasn't their fault that Edward was an ass. However, Amie would know them as my friends.. Just for now…

"Amie, do you want to meet my friends?" I asked and glanced at Esme and Alice. I mouthed them sorry and they just smiled and shrugged. I was glad that they did understand me. I just couldn't go and say everything Amie right now. She wouldn't understand.. Amie looked at them for a few seconds, and then nodded shyly.

"She is Alice." I said pointing Alice. " She was my best friend when I was as little as you. And this is Esme. She is Alice's mom. They are really nice, and I really love them." I finished talking and looked up the two women who played important parts in my life even if they were not in it for the last couple of years. Esme's eyes were shining with unshed tears,and Alice looked like she was having difficulty in keeping herself from hugging Amie .

"And this is Amie. My beautiful angel." I said making Amie giggle in delight. She was so much like Edward and Alice, she loved compliments.

"Hi Amie! I love your dress!" Alice said enthusiastically and Amie smiled shyly. I smiled broadly, Alice was following the right path. Flattery always worked with my little Amie.

"Yes,it's absolutely beautiful. You're more beautiful, though." Esme added making Amie look at her dress lovingly and blush. I couldn't contain my laughter anymore, and started shaking. Amie turned to look at me and smiled timidly. She looked relaxed and her eyes were shining. That moment I understood she liked Alice and Esme. However, it would take time for her to get used to them.

They talked a little bit more with Amie before they stood up to go. Alice made me promise that I would go to lunch with them. She also made me promise that I would allow them to come and see Amie whenever they wanted. I promised willingly..Not that I would say no to them, anyway..

Rose left the same day leaving me and Amie teary eyed. I knew that she would visit again as soon as she could, but that didn't mean that I wouldn't miss her. That night my dad tried so hard to cheer us up that I felt sorry for him. Finally his horrible singing cracked Amie up, and she started giggling and dancing with him. The happiness that I saw on my dad's face while she was twirling around with Amie was amazing.

The following day, I started my job in my old high school feeling proud that I was finally doing something good with my diploma. The high school kids were as bad as I remembered, but it was different now. I was not a shy and nerdy student, I was the teacher now. Miss. Swan.. I really liked it. Sue stayed with Amie when I was working, and I was glad that they had a nice relationship. Of course Amie was timid around her, but she was taken care of, and that was all that mattered. She would get used to her with time.

By the time it was Wednesday, Amie was happy, I was feeling fine, and everything was perfect. The fact that Edward was giving me the space I wanted was making everything even more perfect.

That Wednesday, I went home and saw Amie and Sue lounging in the living room drawing some pictures, and I smiled at the sight.

"I'm home" I said and in a flash Amie was hugging my legs.

"Oh, I miss you too." I giggled and held her in my arms and kissing her cheeks.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but Charlie's working this night. He wanted me to tell you." Sue said making my suspicions about their relationship grow even more stronger. I just smiled meaningly and thanked her. She was a nice lady, and my dad was just 43. They would be a nice couple.. She left a few minutes later with a soft smile playing on her lips.

"So, my little princess. We are alone. What do you want to do? Dinner and a movie? Sound good?" I asked and Amie nodded smiling.

We ate a quick dinner and watched a movie that Amie picked among the Dvd's that Rose bought for her. It was horribly boring and childish, but Amie seemed to enjoy it, so I just shut my mouth and endured. By the time it finished, I was nearly crying with relief, though.

After bathing Amie, and putting her bed, I decided to watch tv a little bit before going to sleep, There was nothing interesting, so I just went to bathroom and took a quick shower. Thirty minutes later, I was under the covers waiting for the sleep to come. After tossing and turning for at least twenty minutes, I just opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling in the dark room.

I was listening intently to Amie's rhythmic breathing when I heard a sound that was certainly wasn't coming from Amie. I stopped breathing and listened even more intently. I heard some rustling following by a voice saying "Shit" loudly.

I knew that voice… I heard it so many times before.. And I knew exactly where it was coming…

Getting out of bed carefully, I quickly turned on the lights to caught him red handed. And there he was sitting on that tree branch like a giant bird with a small torch in his hand. The moment he looked up and saw me, his eyes became impossibly large with shock. He tried to keep his face controlled, but it was obvious that he was scared of my reaction. Surely,he knew that it wasn't going to be the same as the times he used to sneak into my room using that tree.

I threw open the window with anger momentarily forgetting Amie's presence in the room.

"What the hell, Edward?"

* * *

Thank you for reading!

I'm sorry it took me a while to update, but it was my last week in school, so I had a lot of things to do... I managed to see Remember Me two times, though:)

I also want to thank everyone who reviewed and put my story into their favorites. It means a lot to me!

Soo, please let me know what you think..

Have a nice day!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**EPOV**

"What the hell, Edward?"

Shit! Shit! Shit!

It happened all of a sudden. I was sitting that tree branch feeling smug that I could finally see my daughter, but my torch was not working. Then Bella was looking me in the eye with a furious expression.

Perfect! Just how I imagined this night would go!

"Edward! Hey? I'm talking to you!" Bella looked as if she wanted to kill me. I opened my mouth to give an answer, but I knew nothing reasonable would come out.

"Stop looking at me like that! Talk! " She was getting impatient with each second that passed, but I just didn't know what to say. Climbing that tree to watch my daughter seemed like the greatest idea ever, but not anymore. Bella's glare was proof of my stupidity. She would not let me anywhere near Amie now. Why would a 4 year old girl need a stalker dad anyway?

" Front porch, now!" Bella nearly growled and stormed out of the room. I attempted to move, but my eyes landed on a small form sleeping soundly in the small bed next to Bella's. _Thank God, she is still asleep._

I just wanted to stay there and watch Amie, but I knew better. With that in my mind, I forced my eyes to focus on my legs so that I wouldn't fall down.

Bella was waiting for me and watching my every move like a hawk. When I was securely on the ground, she finally snapped.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Are you insane? Didn't you think how scared Amie would be if she had seen you? In the middle of the night!"

I was not sure she was breathing while whisper-yelling me. She used to like it when I snuck into her room in the past. It was obvious that this was not the case anymore

though. And she was right.

But I just couldn't help myself. She told me that she would call, but three days had passed, and she didn't. I was dying to see when the idea of climbing that tree came into my mind, it sounded like the best thing ever to me. How wrong I was!

"Bella, I—" I didn't get a chance to complete because she was attacking me with her words again.

"Don't say you're sorry! You've said it a million times" she said rolling her eyes, and I felt a little bit hurt. After everything she had been through because of me, I had no right to feel hurt though. "You say that you want Amie… that you want to be her dad… be with her but,Edward, you don't even realize that watching her from a tree might scare her to death. You're lucky she is still sleeping, or else I…" She let out a frustrated growl and sat down one of the chairs.

"I should have thought about it. I didn't mean to scare you or her. I just wanted to see her" I said feeling like a moron. Of course, she would be scared. She was only four! I was the worst dad ever, and this night proved that I really did not deserve Amie.

" I told you to wait, but you couldn't. You're still the same, but we cannot always get what we want, Edward. We sometimes need to work for it" she said bitterly without looking at me. The fact that I knew I deserved every word she said didn't lessen the guilt and hurt I felt.

"You're right.I know I need to work for Amie, but I just needed to see her so bad. I thought it was a good idea" I stuttered like a fucking idiot, but I didn't care. I would beg and cry… All that mattered was Amie.

"You've only known she existed for four days, Edward" she said dryly. "How fatherly of you to miss her so much!" Her voice was sarcastic, but shaking at the same time, and when she tilted her head to look at me, I saw tears in her eyes. "I mean you didn't even wonder about me, about her in the last five years, and suddenly she is all you care about. Do you expect me to believe that?"

"I didn't stop caring about you, Bella. Never." I said,looking into her eyes, but she averted her gaze. "I was an ass. When I truly understood what I did, it killed me. I was devastated. I thought you got an abortion. I should have known better of course. You are just so much better than me" I said in a breath and this time I felt her gaze on me.

"Yeah, you really care about me. That's for sure. Considering that you called me TWO times after I left for Seattle. TWO times, wow!" Her voice was full of sarcasm and anger.

Once again, I didn't know what to say. I tried to contact her through Alice, but I had a feeling that hearing this would make Bella even more furious. She was right though. I should have called her. I should have begged her to forgive me then. Maybe everything would be different now. Maybe we could have worked it out, and we could have raised our girl together. Now I did have the slightest chance to have Amie in my life, but I was nearly certain that Bella would never again want me. I killed her love for me by suggesting she kill our baby and by leaving her alone when she needed me the most.

"I do care " I said insistently once again and prayed silently that she would believe me, but she just rolled her eyes.

"I don't really care if you care or not,Edward. This is just about Amie from now on. There is no need to talk about you and me." I knew that she wanted nothing with me, but hearing it from her lips still hurt way too much.

"Okay."I said with a defeated tone. " I'm sorry for disturbing you tonight. It won't happen again.I promise. I'll wait until you give me the permission to see Amie,"

She seemed thoughtful for a minute, and I felt dread wash all over me. _What if she doesn't let me see Amie after tonight? _

"Okay. But,Edward, please please don't do it again. It was nice when I was a little lovesick girl, but now it's different. It's kind of creepy now."She shuddered and I felt bad once again for waking her up and making her all nervous.

"I promise, Bella" I whispered,looking into her beautiful brown eyes. She nodded and whispered a quick goodnight before going inside the house and shutting the door.

I just stood there for a few seconds thinking about everything that happened in the last four days. It was all a whirlwind. The feelings that I was feeling inside me were driving me crazy. It was all weird and complicated, and I knew for a fact that it was harder for Bella.

When I saw my little girl in her arms, I knew that it wouldn't be all butterflies and sunshine for us. I knew that she would make it hard for me,and I was ready for it. She made me wait, and I embraced it,hoping that it would be fine in the end. I couldn't endure it though. Every second I spent without seeing Amie was making my heart ache. I literally couldn't spend any other minute away from her so that's why I thought up my master plan.

_So smooth…_

It never once occured to me that it could scare Amie though. I should have thought about it… Of course a strange man lurking in the shadows would scare a four year old.I just thanked my lucky stars that Amie stayed asleep, otherwise Bella would have killed me.

There was nothing else to do but suck it up and wait for Bella's permission to see Amie. I couldn't risk it by doing anything like that from now on. I knew all of this, but still it made me agitated. I needed to see her, I needed to be close to her. Every second I wondered about her.

_What was she was like when she was a baby? Did she cry a lot? When did she walk? When did she talk? Which cartoons does she watch?_

These questions were driving me insane, and it was the only reason for my stupid behavior tonight.

I took a deep breath and cast a last glance at Bella's bedroom window. Knowing that two people I cared about the most in this world were sleeping in that room and also knowing that I had no power to reach them was frustrating.

Five minutes later, I was again in my home trying to cope with another lonely night. Being alone had never bothered me too much except for some nights I wished that I had Bella with me, but now it was all different. No matter what I did, I still thought about them and the loneliness I felt inside increased second by second.

I showered and stripped down to my boxers and grabbed a book before getting under the covers. After realizing that I read the same sentence five times, I tossed the book aside and closed my eyes tightly hoping that sleep would come. The last three nights were a sweet torture. Everytime I closed my eyes, I saw a little girl with brown hair and green eyes. I liked seeing this image so much, but it didn't help my sleep deprived body.

Even my dad noticed this, and said a couple of words about it, but, hey, couldn't help myself. It was not my fault that everytime I closed my eyes, I saw Amie's face. Who was I to not enjoy her delicate features when I had the opportunity?

Just like the last three nights, I closed my eyes and Amie was in front of me again. I played her yawning and blushing image in my head over and over again. I wondered how our relationship would be and somewhere between these thoughts must have fallen asleep because before I knew the sun was rising again.

_My dad is going to kill me...Another day that I am going to look at him blankly with bloodshot eyes…_

I got ready and drove to hospital giving myself a pep talk about staying away from my dad today. He didn't need to see me like this again, and I sure didn't need to hear his speech once more. This didn't mean that I wasn't grateful though. He was supporting me all through this, and it meant the world to me.

The day was eventless and slow,helping my sleepy and broody mode tremendously. By afternoon, I was sitting in my room and trying not to fall asleep while reading a medical journal that my dad forced me to read. He was a great dad, but he was the meanest boss ever.

Just as my eyelids were about to drop, I heard a knock on my door and stiffened. _My dad…h_e said the same things three times before. _You should sleep,Edward. You should take care of yourself. Compose yourself. She didn't say no. She just said wait.. _

My brain knew this my traitor heart and emotions took control over my body and it was all their fault. I mumbled a come in, and I was shocked to see Alice instead of my dad. She was standing there looking at me nervously, but I knew for a fact that I was even more nervous than her.

"Hey" she aid and walked towards me. She looked chipper all of a sudden and her mood swings were always bad signs. I gulped audibly and she laughed.

"Don't worry, Ed. I am not here to scream at you more. Dad talked to me. He thinks that we should try to understand you better. You know… give you a chance to talk." She looked into my eyes with a solemn expression "I know you won't say anything different from what you have said, but Dad insisted. And I love him… She was silent for a minute, but then she whispered,"And I missed you."

I didn't know what to say and just stared at her for a few seconds. Her giggle pulled me out of my shocked daze.

"You look so funny when you are shocked. I swear your eyes grow as big as tennis balls"she said causing me to roll my tennis ball sized eyes.

"Thanks,Alice. I missed you too" I said. To tell the truth,I didn't think about them much in the last three days, and when I thought about them, all I felt was guilt. But she was my sister, and I loved her.

"So tell me.. How was it for you? Dad says it's worth listening to" she said folding her legs under her and sitting more comfortably. She looked like she was about to watch a movie that she had waited for a long time to only thing that she needed was popcorn.

So I told her the same things that I told my dad, the things that I tried to tell Bella. She listened to me intently without making any comments, and that was a really big thing for Alice. I guessed my dad's speech really took its toll on her.

"Okay you basically lived in hell blaming yourself everyday, but, Edward, you are the reason that all of those things happened,right?" she said. I knew she wouldn't forgive and forget in a second.

"I know,Alice." I sighed. "I know I have no power to change the past, but I want to change the future. I want to repay her for what I did.. I just.. it's just.. I love her…"

"Yeah, Dad told me. You're her dad;you love her. I get it. I really get it. I love my dad more than anything, and I understand that she needs you. But,Edward, I can't just accept what you did. I can't just let it go. It's haunting me. You're my brother. Emmett, Bella, you… We all grew up together. How could you do it to Bella? It's just… I just don't get it."

Her eyes were soft but her voice was firm when she was talking,indicating to me that she really was suffering between her anger and love towards me. However, I had nothing else to say to calm her anger. I was an utter ass, and I made the mistake of my life by leaving Bella alone. They all knew that, but they still hoped for a magical explanation that would solve everything. There was none though.

" I never meant to leave Bella. I loved her so much. I still… love her." I gulped. My statement was so true that it hurt me. It hurt knowing that there was no way that she could love me anymore. I just destroyed it single handedly. "I just panicked. I thought it was the practical thing to do. I have felt the shame everyday,Alice. If she had talked to you, I would have found her and begged, but she didn't talk to you thanks to me" I took another deep breath and looked at Alice's expression. She was looking at me with tears in her eyes. "When I truly understood what I did, it was too late. I thought she got an abortion. I never thought that…I didn't know…I couldn't tell anyone… I just… it was too bad… I hated myself."

My voice was trembling as I shed a few traitor tears which were hurting my sleepy eyes even more. I heard Alice sniff and I didn't need to look at her to know that she was crying too. "I fucked it up too bad,Alice. Now I selfishly want to see Amie. I need her. I know I have no chance with Bella, but I just need them so bad."

Alice put her little hand on mine and offered me a shaky smile. "Yes, you're right about Bella. You don't have a chance with her, and she is totally right." She looked at me and I just nodded. "But she will let you see Amie. She doesn't want Amie to be without a dad. A daddy is important for a little girl"she said smiling wider.

Nobody knew this better than Alice. She had spent the early years of her life crying after my dad when he left for work, and when he had been at home, she always clung to him. She was still daddy's little girl.

I wondered if my girl would like me as much as Alice liked our dad. It would be splendid. I felt a smile strech across my face and Alice's eyes shone brightly at my expression. "Yes, there is a strong possibility that she will be daddy's little girl. She is so shy though" she said laughing.

Was she shy? How could Alice know? Did she see Amie?

"You met Amie? When? " I asked with wonder. I sounded desperate, but I really was desperate. So what?

"Yes, we met her" she said and my eyes widened. We? Alice giggled a little bit before answering. "Mom was with me. She adored Amie" she said with an excited voice, but I couldn't share her excitement. I was not Mom's favorite person, and she met my girl before me. _What if she told Bella that I was not worth meeting Amie?_

Alice was obviously aware of my panicked mood, because she was giggling even more,patting my hand at the same time. "Don't worry, Edward. She didn't say a bad word" she said and I raised my eyebrows. It was impossible to believe. "Okay, she did say something, but Bella thinks it'sworth giving it a shot. She wants Amie to meet her dad. She still thinks you're an ass though."

"That's pretty predictable."

"Yep" Alice responded. " Mom is having a harder time than I am. She just can't comprehend that her little boy did something like this. She loves you, she will come around with time, but I'm afraid you'll have to wait and work for it a little bit."

"I guess I have a lot of working and waiting to do" I said wondering what Alice thought about me right now. She said she was dissapointed, but now what?

"Alice, do you…I mean.. Are we cool?" I asked and cringed immediately after. _Are we cool? You're a moron, Edward!_

"We're cool as long as you make that little girl of yours happy" she said smiling, but then became more serious again. "Dad trusts you, and I trust him. He says you are struggling and we need to be with you. I don't trust you right now though. And I'm still mad at you, but I'm willing to give you a chance and see what you'll do. Just don't fuck it up again."

She was smiling once again and I couldn't help but crack one too. I always adored my dad, but he was officially my hero right now. I guessed there was nothing a dad wouldn't do for his kid, and I felt it in my bones from the moment I saw Amie.

"Thanks,Alice. It means a lot to me. Mom and Emmett-"

"Mom will come around" she reassured me before I had a chance to complete my sentence "And Emmett already misses you; he is just shocked."

"Who isn't?" I said glumly and she sighed loudly.

"You're as bad as Dad told me. Stop brooding. Work for your daughter. She is the cutest thing ever. And you know what?" she asked with wide eyes. "She loves dressing up! Can you believe that? Bella's daughter loves dressing up!" She laughed out loud making me chuckle.

_I have a four year old daughter named Amie. She has brown hair and green eyes. She is silent and shy, but she likes dressing up. She blushes like her mom._

Those sentences were roaming through my mind making me elated. I smiled even more with joy. The only thing I had to do was win her over…

* * *

Thank you for reading!

I finally have a beta, and I want to thank her soo much for reading my mess. Thank you Ann! (Can I call you Ann?:)) :)

This chapter is a little bit short, and it's a kind of filler chapter, but I hope you like it.

I have my graduation party tonight! I'm so excited and happy!:) (That's why I'm rambling)

I hope you have a wonderful day!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**BPOV**

"Alice, please…No!"

I was tired. So very tired…I just wished she would give up and leave me alone, and that thought didn't make me feel guilty. I was that tired…

"Bella, it'll be awesome. Just like old days.." Pshh, old days… She saw the look I gave and started again. "Okay, not just like the old days, but it will be close. We will be together, and it will be epic." She sighed dreamily and made herself more comfortable on the couch. Dad giggled, causing me to glare at him.

"Don't give me that look, Bella. Watching you two bickering is just funny. She has been begging you for two hours, and you're just as stubborn as she is." I rolled my eyes, and he laughed more.

"I'm in no hurry. She'll say yes in the end" Alice chirped,and Amie smiled at her. A big,cheesy smile. Yeah, they were getting on really well… After all the dresses and toys that Alice and Esme bought for her, Amie always had a special smile for them. Sneaky…

It had been a week since the night Edward decided to be creepy. He stayed true to his word and didn't do anything like that after that night. Actually Edward didn't do anything at all… I guess he was waiting for me to give him the ok, and I wasn't even sure yet. I was thankful that Amie slept through it though, because I had no idea how to explain all of it to her.

Now,Alice here thought that having a barbecue party with her family was the coolest thing ever. She was trying to convince me, but I was getting angrier with each second that passed, and my dad wasn't helping either.

"Why, Bella? Just why?" Alice whined again, and I took a deep breath to control my growing anger.

"Really? You're asking this? You're saying Edward will be there. And I will be there with Amie. Can you imagine the tension? I'm sure Esme won't help it either." I scoffed and sat down.

"Mom will stay cool. Dad took care of it." She wriggled her eyebrows,and I cringed. I didn't want to think about the way Carlisle took care of it. "And of course Edward will be there." She threw a glance at Amie who was busy watching TV in her grandpa's arms, and then she continued whispering

"He's waiting for you to call, to do something. It's killing him. I think.. I mean, not that I say you're wrong or anything, but maybe it's time they should meet."

I thought about it a lot too. I wanted Edward to prove that he was worthy of Amie. I wanted him to prove that he wouldn't leave her, but I didn't even give him the chance to meet Amie. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to let them meet. Amie would know him as one of my old friends, and I could see the interaction between them.

It wasn't easy though. Everytime I thought about it, the jealousy and anger I felt inside me made me stop thinking immediately. There were two voices inside my head which were constantly bickering, and it was making me insane. I didn't know what to do.

"I.. I just don't know, Alice. I asked him to give me time, and he's giving me that. Believe me, I'm thinking about it a lot. Do you think they should?" I asked her hoping that she would give me some ideas. The past week, we saw each other nearly every day, and she was still the same Alice. She was still my best friend. Well, one of my best friends…

"I can't say anything,Bella. He deserves the worst after what he did. But he's just miserable, and I just thought that this family barbecue thing would be a good opportunity if you're ready for them to meet. "

It seemed good too when you looked at it that way. There would be other people, so it wouldn't be just me, Edward and Amie. It would be less awkward that way. But was I ready? No…

Would I ever be ready? Probably, no…

But I decided to give Amie a chance to get to know her father, and letting Edward meet Amie was the first step.

I looked at my dad. He just shrugged and continued to watch TV. Oh, how I needed Rose… Yes, Alice was mad at Edward, but she was still his was obvious that she had sympathy for him at the same time.

"I'll think about it, ok? "I said and Alice smiled brightly. "I didn't say yes, Alice."

"Doesn't matter. You'll say yes. Edward won't know what to do with himself!" She squealed happily. Yep! As I said, she was feeling sorry for Edward_. Team Edward_…I rolled my eyes at my childishness. There were no sides in this. It was just a really sad situation that Edward caused. I turned to Alice and found her smiling.

"Yeah, and Esme won't know what to do with herself" I said in a sarcastic tone making my dad chuckle. I told him Esme's reaction and he found it immensely funny.

Alice ignored my comment and turned to Dad. " You are invited too. You should bring Sue. You two are so cute together by the way " she continued babbling, making my dad blush and me snicker.

After playing with Amie for a while, Alice stood up to leave, grinning madly at the same time. "Bella, don't get me wrong. I'm not taking Edward's side" she said seriously before leaving.

I interrupted her before she finished. " I know,Al. Actually, there are no sides in this. I can understand that you're feeling sorry for him." This time she interrupted me.

"No, I feel sorry for everyone in this situation. It's so sad for you, Edward and Amie. I just want the best for each one of you and that's why I think that you should let them meet during our barbecue. If you're ready, of course" she said with bright eyes, and my eyes immediately teared up.

"I'll think about it,Al. Thank you" I said, kissing her cheek. She left soon after leaving my dad, Amie and me alone.

"What do you think should I do?" I asked my dad in a whiny tone.

"Dunno. Maybe.. you should go. You'll let him meet her sooner or later. If you're ready now, it's good" he said practically uttering the same words that Alice used.

I was literally lost, having no idea about what to do. I called Rose, but she said the same things that Alice and Dad said. I guessed it was all up to me. Was I ready?

There would be tension. I wouldn't be comfortable among the Cullens at the barbecue but there wouldn't be any time that I would be comfortable, so I just had to suck it up. Actually, it was just Edward who was making me nervous, but it would be a good thing that we wouldn't be alone. Right? God! I didn't know…

After calling Rose, I went back to living room to pick up Amie. It was past her bed time but she was refusing to go to sleep, clinging to Dad with all her might.

"Amie, please, honey. It's too late. You should go to sleep" I whined, trying to make her come upstairs with me. However,she was not buying it and gripping her grandpa's arm tightly. She never acted this way.

"I want to stay here. With grandpa" She said causing my Dad to grin broadly. He liked it so much when Amie showed open affection towards him. He really was not helping the situation.

"You can't. He's going to sleep soon, anyway" I said, and Amie looked at Dad with questioning eyes.

"Yes, sweetheart. I have to go to work very early in the morning" Dad said, kissing her head after he saw the look I gave to him.

Finally, we convinced Amie to go to sleep, and she graciously let me carry her upstairs. After bathing her and tucking her in, I went to living room to find my dad watching some action movie with a curious expression.

"Sit down, Bella" he said turning off the TV when he saw me.

"Why did you turn it off? You really seemed into it " I said, but sat down anyway.

"You're more important" Dad said grinning cheekily, causing me to laugh. He was a lot happier these days for some reason. He said it was because he had Amie and me with him, but I knew that it was also about Sue.

"Anyway,what will you do? Have you decided? I mean, Alice is so persistent" he said smiling, and I nodded.

"I guess.. I just don't know, Dad." This indecision was killing me, but I guess, the side of me that was saying I should give Amie the chance to get to know her dad was winning, surpassing my jealousy that she would love Edward so much, or my fear that Edward would leave her. But she was mine, and I had to act like a good mom, giving her a chance to know her father, even if he was an major ass to us.

"I think I'll go, let them meet, but I won't stay too long." I sighed, and my dad wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his side.

"He's an ass. I don't like him the littlest bit, but it's for Amie. When I get too angry, I think about it that way. You know what she asked me yesterday?" he asked, looking into my eyes with a serious expression. I shook my head no and waited for him to continue.

"She asked me if she will have her daddy with her when she is older." My eyes widened immediately, but Dad stopped me before I could do or say anything. "You and Rose are big girls, and you both have fathers. She thinks that big girls have dads and she'll have hers when she's big like you."

I wasn't even aware of the tears I was shedding until Dad wiped them with his thumb. Amie really thought like this? She thought she would have a dad when she was big? Oh my God, did she really think like that? My sobs must have gotten louder, because dad was trying to calm me with comforting words.

"Ssshhh, honey. I didn't say it to make you cry. I just feel like you should know how she thinks. She is a little girl, and it's normal for a little girl to think funny like that." He said and continued to hold me in his arms.

"I remember when you were that little, and it was the best time of my life. You were my everything, and now you and Amie are my everything." He kissed my head and continued. "She deserves to know her dad, and from what I've heard from you and Alice, Edward is showing some kind of improvement. Maybe he will be good with Amie. We can't know until we give it a chance, right?"

I nodded, sniffing. I was still overcomed with what Amie had said to my dad. My poor girl didn't have any little friends who had two parents. My girl didn't have any friends at all. She only had Rose and me, and now her grandpa… It was really heart wrenching, and I just couldn't stop my tears.

"Bella, stop it. Don't cry, please." My dad was still trying to calm me, but it was in vain. Amie never said something like that to me before. Actually, I wasn't even aware that she thought about her father at all.

"I'll go to the barbecue. She's meeting Edward, and he better be good to her! She- my poor baby!" I burst into tears once again, making my dad look like a deer in highlights.

"Bella, come on." He sounded a little bit whiny and I couldn't help but giggle a little. I was most definitely going insane.

"I swear I can't understand women at all" he grumbled making me giggle even more.

"Women, dad? Having any trouble with Sue?" I asked, wiping my wet cheeks with my hands. He blushed a bright red and averted his eyes.

"How do you know? Is it that obvious?" he asked without looking at me.

"Yeah, Dad. It's that obvious." I said, giggling and putting emphasis on 'that'.

"It just feels weird, you know. Not that I don't like Sue, she is lovely, but it has been a long time since your mom died. And her husband died six years ago. We were just mourning together, but then all of a sudden, it happened. I mean, is it wrong?"

I smiled a sad smile and kissed my dad's cheek. "No, dad it's not wrong. Not at all…" I said and he smiled back to me. Sue was the wife of one of my dad's best friend's, Harry. She lost her husband six years ago, but she wasn't around too much until recently. I guessed she would be around more from now on though. It was a good thing for Dad.

"Are you guys coming too?" I asked, hoping that he would say yes. They would be my strength. Having them there with me would probably be good for my sanity and jealousy.

"As much as I love Esme and Carlisle, I don't want to be in the same room with that bastard Edward. It won't be a good memory for Amie if she sees her grandpa punching her dad" he joked, but I knew better. There was always a chance that he would go all violent on Edward's ass. A big chance…

"Okay, then I will go all alone" I said in a childish voice and he laughed.

"You won't be alone. You'll have your daughter with you."

He was right. I would have Amie with me, and I would have her with me hopefully every time.

That night, I stayed up and watched a movie with my dad, and as a result of that bonding time with him, I was sleepy and grumpy the next morning. It was Friday, and the barbecue was on Saturday. The fact that it was so close was making me really nervous.

When I called Alice to say that we were coming, she sounded all smug,making me nearly rethink my decision, but in that instant, the question that Amie asked my dad came into my mind. I just sucked it up and said nothing back to Alice.

I also called Rose to tell her about the talk that Amie and my dad had and informed her of my decision. She told me I was doing the right thing and that made me feel a little better.

Friday passed the same as the other days. I woke up and got ready quietly so as not to wake up Amie. Sue came while I was having breakfast with my dad. We left, and my dad dropped me off to school. At lunchtime, I found a corner and sat down. Normally I had a great relationship with other teachers, but I just wanted to be alone right now.

I was not regretting my decision, but I was wondering about Edward's reaction. Would he be emotional? It would be a bad thing. Amie would be confused? What would he say? Would he say something inappropriate? I felt like I needed to talk to him before that barbecue, but there was no way I was talking to him face to face.

Yes,I definitely needed to talk to him, and I needed to do it on the phone…

I sent a quick text to Alice asking for Edward's number. She sent the number to me in a few minutes, but didn't make any comment, for which I was grateful.

I thought about sending a message to him, but that sounded so childish. I was a big girl, and I should be able to talk to him. After all I would have to be civil with him now that he was going to meet Amie. Yeah, a phone call was definitely something I could do without getting all frustrated.

I dialed his number and waited for him to pick up. Just as I was about to give up and press the red button to end the call, he answered the phone, sounding tired.

"Hello?"

I opened my mouth to say something back, but I just couldn't. I was a big girl and I had to do it. I was giving myself a pep talk when he spoke again.

"Hello?"

I cleared my throat and talked this time.

"Hi. Umm, It's Bella." It sounded like a question and I prayed that I would end this conversation without bursting into tears of frustration.

"Bella?" He sounded surprised, and his tired voice suddenly became excited.

"Yeah, it's Bella" I said and rolled my eyes. We were not getting anywhere with this pace. We couldn't even manage to acknowledge each other, and we were on the phone for at least thirty seconds.

"How are you doing? How's Amie? Something happened? Is she ok? " He asked about Amie, sounding worried. It had to be a good sign. A sign that he really was caring…

"Nothing 're good. I just called… We will be at your parent's house tomorrow, and you can meet Amie then." I finally said it! I was mentally applauding myself, thinking that it was the best thing to do, but my hurt and jealous side was still evident.

"Really? Are you serious? " Edward's excited voice cracked and I couldn't help but smile a little bit at his joyful tone. But I quickly reminded myself that I had a reason for calling.

"Yes, I'm serious, but I need to tell you a few things" I said carefully.

"I'm listening." He still sounded giddy, and the fact that he was all giddy about meeting Amie caused me to smile once more.

"I'm going to introduce you as one of my old friends, so please don't do anything overly emotional, and don't do anything that will suggest otherwise" I said and waited for him to say something. He just stayed silent though.

"It is going to be like this for a while. Until I trust you enough to tell her that you're her father." He stayed silent for a few more seconds, but then spoke with a soft tone.

"Of course, I understand. I'll behave, I promise." He sounded really chipper. "Thank you so much, Bella. I can't tell you how much this means to me"

"Don't thank me. Just be the father Amie deserves" I said.

He sounded like he wanted to talk more, but I just couldn't find a reason to talk, so I practically hang up on him while he was still saying 'thanks' and 'goodbye' over and over again.

After that phone call, I was less nervous and that was definitely a good thing. That night at home, I told Amie about the barbecue and asked if she wanted to come with me. She hesitated for a second, but the moment she understood that Alice would be there, she said yes.

The following morning,I woke up with a terrible headache and an uneasy feeling in my stomach. The Cullen family was gathering in the afternoon, so I had a little time to compose myself. After a light breakfast and sending Dad to work, I went upstairs to wake Amie up. She woke up smiling and that smile brought a smile to my grumpy face.

"We'll see Alice today?" she asked with an excited tone.

"Yes, darling. And we'll see Esmé. There will be three more people" I said, thinking that it would be better telling her about them before she saw them. She was uncomfortable around males, and I didn't want them to take it personally.

"Who?" she asked, trying to sit up on her bed at the same time. She struggled a while, and then gave up, raising her arms and silently ordering to me to pick her up. She was so cute.

"Carlisle. He is Alice's dad. And then there will be Edward and Emmett. They are Alice's brothers." I said and she looked thoughtful before nodding. I just hoped that this gathering wouldn't prove my baby's theory about only big people having dads.

After feeding and bathing her, it was nearly afternoon, so I knew that we should start getting ready. We went upstairs, and I let her choose her own clothes while I was getting dressed. I chose a pair of black skinny jeans with a plain white t-shirt. After putting my hair in a messy bun and slipping into my favorite black flat shoes, I was ready.

Amie was another story though. She was holding two dresses, looking rather thoughtful. It was all Rose's fault. I let out a laughter at her serious expression, and she turned to look at me.

"What's the matter, honey? You can't choose your dress?" I asked, stroking her hair, and she nodded. I grabbed the pale pink one that had bright pink flowers on it. It was cute. Amie approved, and I helped her change into it. She wore a white cardigan on it, and we put her hair into a cute ponytail. After she decided to wear her little white converse shoes, we were ready to go, and my heart was beating furiously in my chest.

We went downstairs, and I grabbed my phone to call Alice so that she could come and pick us up. However, before I had a chance to dial Alice's number, the doorbell rang and Amie ran towards it. She threw open the door, and just I was about to scold her about running and opening the door, Rose came into the room, causing me to let out an involuntary scream.

"Oh My God! Rose! " I snapped shut the phone and ran towards Rose, who was already holding Amie.

She pulled me into their hug as well, and we stood there like that for a few long seconds.

"I just couldn't leave you alone today" she whispered to me when we ended our hug and I mouthed her a 'thanks', grinning like a mad woman all the time.

* * *

Thank you for reading!

I just want to thank my beta for reading and fixing this really fast, and then I want to thank everyone who reviewed and put Amie in their favorites:))

So, whose point of view do you want the next chapter? (finally Edward gets to meet his daughter:))

Please let me know what you think:)

Have a nice day...


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**EPOV**

I knew that I had to sleep so that I could look like a decent human being at the barbecue while meeting my little girl, but my body refused to comply with the orders that my brain gave. And as another night I laid in my bed, my eyes wide open.

I could not believe that Bella was going to let me see my daughter. I mean, it was all I wanted from the first moment that I learned that I had a daughter, but when I thought about it, it looked like a sacrifice on her part. She raised Amie herself, and she probably couldn't stand me after everything I made her go through. Now she was giving me permission to get into the picture. Not that I complained. It was like a miracle. Amie was a miracle.

I knew about the barbecue before Bella called me. It was all Alice's and my dad's idea. Apparently, they thought it would be a good bonding activity. I was not sure about that when they first told me though. Mom disliked me now, and it was nearly impossible that Bella would attend. With those thoughts in my mind, I thought about skipping it, but Bella's call changed everything for me.

She was going to be there with Amie. And I was going to meet Amie… Finally. My mom… Well, I still didn't know what do to about her. According to my dad, she was hurt and confused, but other than that she was starting to crack. I just hated that I dissapointed her. I dissapointed all of my family, and I owed my dad and Alice a big time.

I forced my eyes to stay closed and tried to erase the stupid grin that was permenantly on my face since Bella called me, but I wasn't succesful. I had a feeling that meeting a guy who had a big cheesy smile on his face would be weird for Amie though. I just couldn't help it.

When Bella said that I should act normally around Amie, I was hurt for a second. Of course I would act normal. She didn't need to say that… But now I totally understood her reasoning. There was no way I could act normal around Amie. I just hoped that I wouldn't burst into tears, or laughter of joy. And I didn't know which would be creepier. Oh God! I was totally clueless.

Bella said she would introduce me as an old friend of hers. How would an old friend act? He would just smile at the little girl, maybe he would give her a little hug. I didn't know… It wasn't enough, but it had to be enough though… I just wanted to see all of her four short years of life that I had missed because of my stupidty. I just wanted her to smile at me and be with me all the time. I just… I just wanted to be a normal father to her.

Familiar self hatred filled me again, and I didn't do anything to push it out. I just embraced it like I always did. The situation that we were in was purely my fault, and I was again being selfish and wanting more. I didn't deserve Alice, my dad, my family, and most importantly, I didn't deserve Bella and Amie. However, I was selfish, and I was going to take what was offered. I had to sleep first though. I really didn't want to scare my daughter with bloodshot eyes.

I grabbed my ipod from the nightstand, hoping that it could help me go to sleep. It must have taken its toll, because when I next opened my eyes, it was bright outside and the clock was showing eight o'clock. Alice said I should be there in the afternoon, but I wanted to go early. I had nothing to do, and maybe by going early, I could break the ice between me and Mom. Okay, I doubted it, but it was still worth a try.

Getting out of bed, I took a long shower, shaved and tried to tame my ugly hair. Normally, I wouldn't bother with it, but I just wanted to look nice for my first official meeting with my daughter. After finishing my business in the bathroom, I went back to my bedroom and spent a long time, trying to find something to wear. Finally deciding on a pair of dark jeans and burgundy polo shirt, I grabbed my car keys, and headed towards my parents.

My hands were practically shaking as I drove. I turned on the radio, hoping that it would soothe me like it did last night, but the song I heard made it even worse.

_Nothing unusual nothing strange  
Close to nothing at all  
The same old scenario the same old rain  
and there's no explosions here _

What made me crack was the chorus of the song though. I totally forgot it… I totally forgot about it…

_Amie, come sit on my wall.._

This was the song that was playing when I kissed Bella… Afterwards, she had decided that she adored this song, because it was our kissing soundtrack. She sang this song so many times. She was simply adorable, and I ruined it.

Did she name Amie after this song? Did she really give our daughter her name because of this song? I couldn't help it, I felt hope and happiness wash all over me. She named our daughter Amie. After all the sorrow and pain I had caused her, she still found it in her heart to give our daughter the name Amie. Maybe I was being too optimistic, but I had a feeling that it was a good sign. And I was the biggest jerk in the entire planet for not realising it earlier.

By the time the song was about to end, I was in my parent's garden, parking my car. I saw Alice's head peeking out of the window, and she waved frantically when she saw me. I waved her and started walking towards the house. Before I had a chance to knock, Alice threw open the door, smiling like a maniac the entire time.

"You came early! We can have breakfast together. That's awesome."

She linked her arm with mine and dragged me towards kitchen. Mom and Dad were sitting and chatting animatedly while Emmett seemed bored to death. When he saw me, his eyes got a mischievious glint, and he flashed me a grin.

"Finally some action." he mumbled, and this caused my mom to look up and see me. She narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to say something, but Dad put his hand on hers, effectively calming her down. Instead of yelling at me like she wanted, Mom just mumbled a quite hello and turned back to eating.

"Welcome, Edward. Had breakfast?" Dad asked in a forced, cheerful tone. I didn't have breakfast and I was indeed hungry, but the tension made my stomach feel like it was overly full. I suddenly had no appetite.

"Hi, Dad. Thanks, I'm good." I said back, and I hated when my voice cracked, betraying me. It was the first time I saw all of my family since I told them about Amie, and being in the same room with them was harder than I expected. Just as I was about to go into living room to kill some time, Mom stood up.

"You're good? You're looking green. I know for a fact that you didn't have breakfast. Now sit down and eat, Edward." I nodded and sat down, gulping. She sounded so serious, and I felt like saying no would be bad for me.

Alice put a muffin and a cup of coffee in front of me before sitting down herself. I was drinking coffee when Mom opened her mouth again, and I nearly choked. Was she really going to talk to me? I had totally expected the cold shoulder, and now she was talking to me. Even if it was still cold and distant, it was shocking as hell. After coughing like crazy, I focused my attention on her and listened.

"This second chance she's giving you doesn't mean everything's going to be all right. It's like she's awarding you. If I were her-" She was probably going to explain the torture she would make me go through, but Dad stopped her.

"We all know what you would do, darling. No need to elaborate" he said, kissing her head. Mom looked murderous for a second, but then her eyes softened and she said nothing. Dad continued though. Apparently we needed a family talk.

"Edward already knows this is more than he deserves" he said and I nodded solemnly. "He is really upset and ashamed and if you give him a chance to explain himself to you-"

This time it was Mom who interrupted. "What will he say? That he is sorry? Repentant? He has said all of this already, and you've told this, too. Nothing changes the fact that he abondoned Bella. Nothing can change it… "

I couldn't help it. Emmett will probably make fun of me until the day I die, but I couldn't help the few tears that rolled down my cheeks. I wiped them, looking discreetly Emmett at the same time, but he seemed disinterested. There was family drama going on, and he was eating. Yep, that's my brother.

"I know Mom" I said and she looked at me with menacing eyes. " It's the worst thing I 've done in my entire life, and nothing I can do will atone for it. I left her and then I just… I thought that Bella had an abortion. And I know I should have known better. I should have contacted Bella, I just didn't. I didn't know this then… I was an asshole. I am an asshole, for lack of a better of word."

Taking a deep breath, I looked at my family who were sitting and looking back at me. Dad and Alice were smiling, and the resemblance between them was creepy. Emmett was still eating like nothing happened, looking at me at the same time. However, the weirdest expression was on Mom's face. She looked like she was about to cry.

"Oh God !" she whimpered. "Why did you do it? I should hate you, but I cant! You're my son… It's infuriating!" She stopped for a second, causing me to think that she was done, but she continued. "Be good to them, Edward. Or else I won't know what to do with you!"

She stood up from the table and started to wash her mug with shaky hands. Dad gestured for me to talk, smiling smugly entire time. It was obvious that he worked hard to make Mom crack.

"I'll be good to them, Mom. I promise." She nodded without turning to look at me. My brain told me it was the end of the conversation. It was the best we could manage for now, but my mouth had a mind of its own. "I'm sorry that I let you down. I hate that I let all of you down… I promise I won't let Amie down anymore though. I'll try and be the dad she deserves if Bella lets me."

"She's willing to let you for some reason, and you should be grateful!" Mom scolded me with a harsh tone. I was so happy that she was talking to me again that it didn't matter to me that she was scolding me and giving me the evil eye. I owed my Dad a really big time. I nodded, trying to hide the stupid grin that was forming on my face. I swear my mood was changing every second, and it was freaking me out.

"Okay. You're talking again! That's perfect" Alice exclaimed in an overly cheerful voice, making Emmett snicker. She threw Emmett a dirty look and Emmett blew a kiss to her in return. "Now that the first stage of the drama is over, can we please start cooking the side dishes, Mom? It's nearly eleven."

"Oh God! Really?" Mom nearly screamed. "Emmett, get out of the kitchen! Carlisle, please help me with these beans. Ed- Ahh, nevermind" she said and proceeded to kick Emmett out of the kitchen. The fact that she didn't include me in her crazy preparation period hurt slightly, but I kept my mouth shut and reminded myself that this was better than I deserved. Emmett's loud voice and some banging noise along with Alice's loud laughter made me jump. I nearly forgot how loud they could be.

"Mom! Why is Dad helping you and I'm not? I want to help, too."

"Emmett, standing in the kitchen and eating is not helping. Get out of here this instant." Mom sounded extremely serious, so Emmett gave up and walked out of the kitchen. Having nothing to do, I followed him to living room and sat down.

"How are you doing, Ed?" he asked in an annoyingly sweet voice, and I knew that he had an ulterior motive.

"I'm fine, Em." I replied in the same sickeningly sweet voice and he grinned.

"You know, I'm so dissappointed in you right now, but do you know what can make me forgive you?" he asked, still grinning. I actually had a pretty good idea about that, but I kept my mouth shut and allowed him to talk.

"Can I visit your place with my lady friend, Lauren, tonight? She misses me, and she still lives with her family." He wriggled his eyebrows and I internally groaned.

"Emmett, I don't want to hear your moaning and grunting." I said in a weak voice. He was such a pain in the ass.

"We'll be quiet." he answered, laughing, and I wanted to hit him. He used my place a few times in the past, and I knew that he was not quiet. Aaah, I didn't need those memories to haunt me on the day I was going to meet my daughter.

I stood up to leave the living room. There was no way I could endure him today. I decided to go to the garden and get some fresh air, but Emmett's voice was still audible.

"So, you're saying yes?" he yelled from the living room, causing me to roll my eyes.

"No, Emmett" I yelled back and sat down on a puffy chair that my mom loved so much. There were a lot of things on my mind, and I felt like my head was going to explode. This was the day. This day was going to change me forever. I would not be the same Edward from now on. These last five years passed in feelings of fury, guilt and self hatred, but I needed to be better than that now. I was sure that I would never forgive myself, but I could not let these feelings affect my life like they used to do. There was another person I needed to think about other than myself now.

I didn't know how long I sat there, but Alice's loud voice made me jump again. Living in the same house with Alice and Emmett was like living with a bunch of toddlers. They were horrible sometimes. I stood up and went inside to find my dad sitting in the living room along with Emmett and Alice. They were laughing at something Emmett did, and Emmett was sulking.

"Hey" I said lamely and sat down. I felt like I was ruining their fun, but there was nothing I could do. Alice must have sensed my sadness, because the next thing I knew she was sitting on my lap.

"At least,Edward is normal." She giggled,and Emmett groaned. I didn't know what had happened, but Alice and Dad were enjoying it way too much.

"Are you excited, Edward?" Alice said, sliding out of my lap and sitting down next to me.

"Very much." I said, smiling slightly. I still felt out of place, but the way all of them smiling helped me a great deal. "I can't think about anything else apart from her these days, and I just can't believe that Bella is giving me a chance." I said sounding awed and Dad patted my back. "And thank you, Dad. And Alice. For giving me a chance. I don't know how I would do without you. " I said and Alice launched herself at me once again.

"I'm mad at you, but I love you, big brother. I know you will make everything right." she said pointing her temple. I knew that she was forgiving me that easily because she had no problem with reconciling with Bella, and I was really happy about that. I had to laugh and she pinched my cheeks, immediately making me stop laughing.

" Where are the tissues?" Emmett said and laughed himself,making everyone else laugh at his terrible attempt of joking.

Alice went to help Mom, leaving me, Dad and Emmett alone. Emmett gave me a pointed look and I immediately averted my gaze. He could not say anything about his 'lady' friend, Lauren, in Dad's presence, but that didn't mean he could not give meaningful looks. There was no way I was letting him though.

Dad turned on the TV and found a sports channel, immediately gaining Emmett's attention. I let out a breath and watched with them. However, I knew that Emmett wouldn't leave me alone about this.

I didn't know how much time passed, but the sound of the doorbell made me stand up immediately, causing Emmett to snicker.

"Way to go, Daddy" he said, giving me a big grin, and I didn't know if he was sincere or not. Dad again patted my back and walked towards Alice who was running towards us.

"She was supposed to call me, but she came here with Rose in some hideous car!" She clicked her tongue in an annoying manner.

"Alice, why aren't you opening the door?" Dad asked, smiling.

"Mom's opening it. I want to see the whole first encounter, that's why I'm here." she said and sat down. She was enjoying this so much, but this was not a TV drama. Okay, maybe it was close to it.

I couldn't bring myself to care about Alice though. I was about to meet my daughter. We were under the same roof right now, and I was going to meet her. I felt a smile forming on my face, and composed myself immediately. What did Bella say?

_Don't do anything that will suggest otherwise…_

I looked ahead, giving myself a pep talk about keeping it together when Bella walked into the room holding Amie's hand. My resolve about keeping my shit together vanished the moment I saw Amie. She was wearing the cutest dress ever and her perfect hair was in a perfect ponytail. She was just perfect, and I was not saying this because she was was looking around curiously with her big green eyes, and I just wanted to run and hold her, singing in joy at the same time. Bella would kick my ass though.

"Shit, oh God!" Emmett whispered stupidly, looking at the blonde woman who was standing next to Bella. I remembered that her name was Rose, and from our first encounter and the way that she looked at me now, I understood that she didn't like me the littlest bit. Who could blame her anyway? I didn't even notice that she was here with Bella and Amie, but apparently Emmett noticed and he was enjoying it immensely. Bella should have warned him instead of me. He had the potential to ruin this day by hitting on Rose. I glared at him, and he immediately sat down next to Alice.

Amie was looking at Emmett right now, tilting her head. Great, that asshole managed to get her attention while she didn't even seem to notice my presence in the room. Just as I was about to deck Emmett out of jealousy, Bella tugged Amie's hand and Amie's beautiful eyes looked at her mom.

"Remember I told you about Emmett, Carlisle and Edward?" she asked. She sounded nervous even if she tried to hide it. Wait, did she tell her about me? What did she say? Of course she said I was an old friend, but how did she say it? There were a lot of ways to say it…

Amie nodded and this time she looked directly at me. Our eyes met and I wanted to just go and introduce myself, holding her small I just chanted inside _me "keep it together, keep it together." _She averted her gaze all too soon though.

"This is Emmett. She's Alice's brother." Bella said and nudged Amie towards Emmett and Alice. Bad move, because Amie just hid behind Bella's leg, making everyone smile. She blushed a bright red, and it was just adorable. Emmett walked towards Bella and gave her a hug. They were not the closest friends, but they were still close before I ruined everything. Emmett then waved at Amie, causing her to cling to a nervous looking Bella even more. I didn't know who looked more nervous at this point, Bella or Amie? I had no idea…

Rose must have sensed the situation that we were in because she picked up Amie, kissing her red face at the same time. I hated that Amie was feeling all nervous and shy around us, and I hated more that it was all because of me. Rose turned towards us, and from the look on his face, it was not hard to understand what Emmett was thinking. He was literally gaping at Rose. I just hoped that he wouldn't do anything to ruin this day for me.

"Hi, I'm Rose. Bella's and Amie's best friend" she said, poking Amie, and Amie let out a perfect giggle. She was still red, but she was looking at us right now. "Now that Bella's about to have a nervous breakdown-"

"Rose!" Rose immediately stopped when Bella shouted her name and looked at her sheepishly. Obviously my Bella was brave enough to do this herself. She was much better than me.

"Ok, anyway. Take it from here, Bella." she said, giving Bella an apologetic look. Bella was bright red too at this point, but she didn't give up.

"Amie, this is Emmett" she said again, pointing to Emmett with shaky hands. Oh my God, this was too hard for her…

Amie just looked at Emmett with big observing eyes, and Emmett gave Amie a smile, forcing his eyes not to look at Rose, too much. I knew my idiotic brother too well… Rose was oblivious to him though. She was too busy looking at Bella and Amie. I was sure of that because I was looking at them too.

"And this is Carlisle, Alice's father" Bella said, looking at my dad with bright eyes. Dad took a tentative step, and Bella smiled at him encouragingly. Dad walked towards Bella and they hugged. Oh, what wouldn't I give to hug her. After hugging Bella, Dad turned to Amie, and what I saw on his face made me crack. He was looking at her with absolute adoration. He was looking at her the way he looked at Alice all the time. Was I looking at Amie like that, too? I had no fucking idea, but she was making me feel things that I thought I wasn't capable of.

For the first time in years, I really was excited and anxious about something. I really wondered what life would bring me, bring us. I wondered how I could make it up to everyone, especially Bella and Amie. The feelings I was feeling inside were too much, and they were making me feel so alive.

Dad tried to make Amie talk, but she shied away, hiding her face in the crook of Rose's neck. I knew it was my turn now. It was the moment that would change me forever. I was finally meeting her. Bella looked at me before turning to Amie, and our eyes locked for a minute. She looked so scared, so vulnerable and I just wanted to smack myself over and over again for causing this pain to everyone. Bella talked before I had a chance to give myself a nice dose of self hatred though.

"And this is Edward, honey. He's Alice's other brother" Bella said and gulped, her big doe eyes looking frantic with worry. "He's my old friend" she said in a cracked voice, and her eyes filled with tears almost instantly.

Our eyes locked instantaneously. I felt like her eyes were magnets. They just attracted mine towards them… I took a deep breath and my eyes teared up, too. Old friend... She was not my old friend. She was my everything. She was just my everything. I tried to look into Bella's eyes a little more, but she didn't look at me.

Apparently, Amie wasn't aware of the staring contest that was taking place between her mom and her mom's _old friend_ , because she just looked at me for a second before turning and looking at Rose,smiling. I just wanted to scream _"Is that all? I'm your dad!" _However, I knew it was all I could get for now, and I had no choice other than to be pleased.

Mom rushed Bella, Amie and Rose into the living room to lounge, and everything seeemed perfectly normal for our situation for a few minutes… Until Emmett decided to open his big mouth.

"Soo, Rose…" he said out of nowhere in a voice that nearly made me gag and Alice giggle. Rose looked like she just noticed Emmett though. She was too busy with playing Amie's hair. She was right. My beautiful daughter was far more interesting than Emmett.

"Huh?" she asked, looking up Emmett with dull eyes. Emmett looked taken aback for a second, but as usual didn't give up.

"I'm Emmett" he said, grinning. Rose just nodded and turned her attention back to Amie. Emmett stayed in his spot, looking at her, his mouth open wide, and Alice giggled even more. Even my dad laughed.

Amie was sitting on Rose's lap and looking at everyone with curious eyes. The moment the person she was looking at met her eyes, she turned her gaze away. Her shyness was extremely adorable. I wanted to do something to get her attention, to make her look at me, but looking at Mom and Bella was all I needed to get a hold of myself. I was absolutely banned from exposing my identity. I was just an old friend… _For now…_

"Emmett, why don't you go outside and start the grill?" Mom asked,obviously trying to stop Emmett's ogling at Rose. Emmett opened his mouth to say something, but the glare Mom sent him made him stand up and go to outside.

"Amie, how are you, my dear?" Mom asked smugly,looking at me, and Amie blushed again. _Yeah, Mom, I got it. You can actually talk to her. _

"I'm good!" Amie chirped and added. She must really have liked my Mom. "Rose came this morning." My girl had the sweetest voice ever,and she made everyone in the room smile again. It was like I was under her spell. Every little movement she made fascinated me. The way she breathed, the way she talked, the way she blushed… Everything about her was simply fascinating.

"Your dress is really pretty" Alice said and Amie smiled beautifully and mumbled a thanks, pushing her hair back. Oh my God, it was just the sweetest thing I had ever seen. She was such a girl, and I wondered how she could manage to be this girly. Bella was nowhere near girly, but that doesn't mean she wasn't the most beautiful woman. She was absolutely the most beautiful woman ever. Alice giggled and turned towards me.

"Isn't her dress just pretty, Edward? Doesn't she look pretty? Prettier than Barbie?" she asked me, winking. I had never wanted to kiss my sister so much before. She was giving me the chance to have a conversation with my little girl.

"Yes, you're absolutely prettier than Barbie" I said smiling to her and mentally added _'the prettiest little girl in the world.' _

Her cheeks were overly red by this point, but she smiled. She smiled! At me!

She smiled at me shyly, and said thank you with an barely audible voice.

Nothing mattered at this point…

My daughter just talked to me, and right now I was the happiest person on the entire planet!

* * *

First of all, I want to say 'thank you' to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I had a problem with my mail account, so I couldn't respond some of the reviews. Anyway, THANK YOU!:)

I want to say 'thank you' to my beta, too:) Thanks a lot Ann!

So what do you think about this chapter? I would be really happy if you let me know...

Thanks a lot for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**EPOV**

I was on cloud nine after that brief conversation with Amie. Maybe it couldn't even be called a conversation, but to me it was the most beautiful thing ever. I couldn't wipe the grin from my face for a long time, and Alice looked so smug. She deserved to look like that though. I thought about offering her a shopping trip, but the memory of the last one made me cringe. I had to find another way to pay her back.

Emmett and Dad were in the garden, grilling while the women and my beautiful daughter were lounging in the living room. I knew it would be less awkward for everyone if I just went to garden to join Emmett and Dad, but I couldn't bring myself to leave the room. I was watching every move Amie made, and obviously I was gawking at her, because Rose looked like she wanted to kill me. Bella, well, Bella just looked plain uncomfortable.

"Why don't you go outside, Edward?" Mom sneered, making Rose laugh.

"Do I have to?" I blurted out without thinking and Alice giggled. There was no way I was leaving the room when Amie was about the play with Alice. I just wanted to sit there and watch Amie. I wasn't bothering anyone anyway! Well, except for Bella…

"It would be nice to help your Dad and Emmett" Mom said in a stern tone, looking me directly in the eye. A sensible person would be afraid, but right now my brain was controlled by my emotions, so I just ignored her and turned to watch Amie who was too busy giggling at something Bella said. She was adorable. They were both adorable.

"Remember the last time Edward grilled,Mom?" Alice said, laughing. "I think it would be better if he just stays here." _Well, thank you_, _l__ittle sister__, f__or reminding everyone how I nearly burned our house._

The memory brought a brief smile to Bella's face, and it was enough to make me excited. She it soon vanished ,leaving me wanting for more.

"I think he can manage it right now" Mom said again, and Alice rolled her eyes this time. Obviously, me sitting in the room was making Mom angry. But why couldn't she just sit down and leave me alone?

"Mom, leave him alone!" Alice said, giggling, and Rose shot her a dirty look. Bella looked extra nervous that time, and I took it as my cue to go to the garden. I didn't want her to hate me more than she already did.

I stood up, and just as I was about to leave the room, somebody cleared her throat.

"Edward." Bella's voice made me stop in my tracks and I turned back to see her. My name on her lips was the best thing I had ever heard along with Amie's angelic voice.

She cleared her throat once again before talking and opened her mouth. She didn't say anything though, and she blushed furiously, taking my breath away.

"Amie, honey," she called Amie's name, and my heart was beating furiously in my chest. Why was she calling Amie? Amie looked at Bella with questioning and innocent eyes, and I found myself getting all impatient and emotional once again.

"Garden here is so beautiful, and I think they even have bunnies and kittens. Do you want Edward to show you around?" She asked and I think I stopped breathing for a second. Was she letting me spend some time with Amie? Was she really doing this for me? She really was an angel, and I was the asshole who hurt her. I forced myself to take a deep breath as I was waiting for Amie's answer. She looked excited about the bunnies and kittens, but she looked indecisive. She looked at me shyly, and I smiled at her, hoping that she would say yes.

"You?" Amie asked, looking at Bella. It would be wonderful to be with both of them, awkward, but wonderful.

"No, honey. I want to sit here for a little bit. I'll come later, okay?" Bella asked, but Amie still looked unsure.

"Oh, Amie. They are just so cute. They are Edward's and they only like Edward, so I think it will be good if you go with him" Alice said in such a manner that even I almost believed her. The bunnies and the kittens were mine? I had never seen them before. My sister was a genious. A sneaky genious.

Amie looked at me once again and I offered her my shaking hand. The moment her little hand grasped mine, I felt warmth wash all over me. There was no other feeling like this. This was just unique. She was unique.

I wanted to say thank you to Bella, but Amie was looking impatiently at me, so I just smiled and lead her to the garden. I would just thank Bella later.

Having Amie by my side, grasping her little hand and feeling her little presence next to mine was priceless. With a permanent, stupid grin on my face, we went to the garden, but I had no fucking idea where the kittens and the bunnies were. I knew that my mom liked to take care of those little fury things, but I never attempted to take a look at them. They were just animals to me before, but now I really was interested in them.

Amie was walking with little steps, watching her feet carefully. Normally, I would be irritated with walking at a slow pace like this, but I found myself keeping up with her and watching her in awe. Dad smiled hugely when he saw us, and Emmett raised his eyebrows, grinning.

"Hi , Amie!" My dad said in a voice that he only used for Alice when she was little, and my grin widened. Amie just seemed uncomfortable though. I squeezed her hand briefly, hoping that maybe she would feel less uncomfortable. After all, I was the owner of the bunnies and the kittens.

"Do you know where my bunnies and kittens are? I can't remember" I said, looking at Dad meaningfully at the same time and hoping that he would understand.

"Your what?" Emmett snickered, and I threw a desperate glance to him.

"Oh, they are in the back of the garden. You know the place where your mom kept the puppies when you were in high school?" Dad said, looking at Emmett at the same time. Emmett shut up and turned back to preparing the meat.

I nodded my thanks to Dad and lead Amie towards the back of the garden. Mom liked to keep animals there. She just collected stray animals and took care of them all the time, but I had a feeling that the bunnies were Alice's doing. She adored them when we were kids.

Amie was silent while we walked. I searched my brain for something to say,but I didn't want to make her more uncomfortable than she already was. Passing through the trees that Mom planted, we reached the small area where she kept the animals. Kittens were laying in a basket while their mother stood protectively next to them. I knew better than to approach them, but the expression on Amie's face made me forget my caution. She was looking at the kittens, smiling widely at the same time.

"They're cute, right?" I asked lamely. I couldn't find anything else to say. She nodded, looking at me and probably waiting for me to do something. The mother cat was shooting daggers at me, and I didn't know what to do. Just I was about to take a step further and face the wrath of the momma cat, Alice came towards us running. She just ran to the momma cat and took her into her arms.

"Hi there! Let's get you fed!" she cooed to the unpleasant looking cat and walked towards me. "Do something! Talk to her!" she whispered frantically before walking past us, ignoring the momma cat's protests.

"Do you want to hold one?" I asked Amie, feeling proud that I was starting a decent conversation. She shook her head no, but kept looking at the kittens with longing in her eyes.

"Why not?" I asked, leading her towards the loud kittens. She looked so happy to see them, causing my face to hurt as a resulf of grinning that much. She didn't want to hold one though. Was she afraid of them? I looked at her for an answer, but she was just looking directly at the small, fury animals with a gorgeous smile playing on her lips.

"Come on." We approached the basket, and the kittens started meowing loudly, making Amie giggle in delight. "Do you want me to hold one?" I asked, and she nodded eagerly.

Choosing an orange and white one, I grabbed it gently and placed it on my palm. It was so small that it fit perfectly. But it started meowing more frantically, making Amie's bottom lip quiver.

"Is it hurt?" she asked in a small voice, and I just wanted to throw the cat and hug Amie. But I had a feeling that she wouldn't approve since she was so concerned about the kitten.

"No,it is not hurt, sweetie." I said. Sweetie… I could say this to her all day long. "Maybe, a little bit scared. But trust me, it's not hurt, Okay?" I asked her, looking into her deep, green eyes that made my heart stutter. They were exactly like mine. How could I leave her in the first place anyway? I was the biggest jerk ever.

This was not the time to think about that though. I just swallowed my pain and turned towards Amie. "Do you want to hold it now?" I asked again, thinking that maybe she had changed her mind. She shook her head no once again though.

I kneeled down in front of Amie and held the kitten up to her. "Come on" I encouraged. It took a few seconds, but then she reached and started to stroke the kitten's soft fur. The kitten tensed briefly on my palm, making Amie stop. She stopped for a few seconds, and then started stroking again. The kitten relaxed this time and let out a contented meow.

"See, it likes you" I said and enjoyed the smile that formed on Amie's face upon my words. I was so busy looking at her happy face for the last a few minutes that I nearly jumped when she screamed.

"Look! Edward! Bunny!" she shrieked in delight,pointing to somewhere, but I was too enchanted by her calling me Edward that I didn't care about the damn bunny. Of course Edward was nowhere near as good as Dad, but there was a long way to go before she called me Dad. So Edward was perfect for right now.

"It was right there. It ran away" she said, with obvious excitement in her voice. Of course the damn bunny ran away before I had a chance to catch it.

"Okay. The kitten is here" I said lamely, kicking myself mentally. Of course she knew that! But she didn't seem to care, she just smiled and patted the cat's head. For a few minutes, we stayed there playing with the overly content kitty. When Alice peeked her head in to inform me that we were about to eat, I reluctantly put the kitten into its basket, making Amie pout adorably.

"Come on, we need to eat" I said, holding her small hand in mine. I swear that was one of the best sensations in the world.

"The bunny ran away because it needed to eat?" she asked, making me gape at her. She really was talking to me, asking me a question. And she was so damn smart.

"Yes, it went to eat" I said, smiling, and she nodded approvingly.

Everyone was sitting around Mom's big antique looking garden table when we reached them. The smell of the grilled meat made me realize how hungry I was. Amie dropped my hand and bolted towards her mom, who was sitting with Rose.

"Mom! Edward showed me the kitten. It was so cute. Soft!" she started to babble excitedly, making everyone laugh. Bella had a small smile on her lips, and she glanced at me briefly before looking at Amie.

"Really? That's great, honey!" Bella exclaimed.. Her eyes were looking tired and sad, but she sounded so chipper. She was a wonderful actress. She whispered something into Amie's ear, and Amie turned towards me, blushing slightly.

"Thank you for showing me the kitten, Edward" she said sweetly, making my mom and Alice say "aww" simultaneously.

"Your welcome, Amie" I said looking into her eyes. She awarded me with a bright smile, before climbing next to her mom. She looked more comfortable around us now, and I was glad for that. It didn't mean that she didn't throw curious glances at Dad and Emmett though.

Fifteen minutes later, everything was ready, and we were all sitting around the table eating. The atmosphere was thick, but Dad and Alice did everything they could do to make it better. Mom and Emmett were another story though. Mom officially ignored me, and only talked with Rose and Bella. There were no sides on the table, but she was acting as if there were. Dad looked at her meaningfully a few times, only to see that she didn't care.

Emmett, on the other hand, was overly talkative and cheerful. I knew that he was trying to make Rose notice him, I mean really notice him, but Rose looked like she was about to die from boredom. Emmett talked and talked and talked until…

"Emmett! Enough! We don't want to listen to how girls fight over you!" Alice screamed, making Rosalie nearly choke on her water.

"Oh my God, Alice, thank you! I was dying to say that, but I didn't want to sound rude." Rose said and everyone laughed, except Emmett. He poked Alice in the ribs, and sulked like a kid. Rose just rolled her eyes and continued talking to Mom.

Watching my little girl was far more interesting than watching Emmett sulk, so I turned my gaze towards Amie who was nibbling her breadstick and refusing to eat anything else. Bella tried to convince her to eat some vegetables and meat, but she was not having it.

"Amie, why are you doing this? You love vegetables. Look there's carrot" Bella tried once more.

"I don't want it now" Amie whined, making Bella stop and give up.

"You know, the bunny is eating carrots right now." The words came out of my mouth before I had a chance to think about them. Everyone looked at me at the same time, and I felt like I said something really wrong or inappropriate. Amie didn't seem to think so though.

"Really?" She asked, eyeing the carrots carefully, and I forced myself not to laugh.

"Yes, it loves carrots.I think you should eat one too" I said and found Bella looking at me with an unreadable expression on her face. I didn't know what it was, but she didn't look mad.

"You like carrots?" she asked,this time looking at me, and I nodded. Actually I wasn't a fan of carrots, but if it meant that she would eat it, making Bella happy, I could be the biggest an of them. I put some carrots on my plate, and pushed some of it into my mouth.

"Do you want some?" Once the question was out of my mouth, she handed her empty plate to me and I stared at it for a few seconds. It was all too much. She was sitting across me, talking to me, eating with me. I just wanted to weep with relief. This was beyond my imagination. I had a more important thing to do though. Damn carrots. I freaking loved them. The carrots, kittens and the bunnies.

I was grinning so broadly when I placed her plate in front of her that my cheeks were hurting. Everyone, even Bella was smiling. My mom just rolled her eyes, but I was aware that she was trying to hide a smile.

"Do you want salad?" I asked Amie, pushing my luck with Bella. Maybe she would be offended that I was talking to Amie this much, but I couldn't help myself. Also Bella was the one who first initiated my interaction with Amie. I checked her expression with the corner of my eye, and she was just eating slowly.

"Yes, please" Amie said and I put some salad on her plate, again grinning all the time.

"Chesire cat" Emmett mumbled, looking at me, but I ignored him. He seemed so crestfallen that no one was paying him any attention, but, hey, he deserved it.

Bella put some chicken on Amie's plate, and now she was eating without protest. After watching her eating for a few seconds, my stomach grumbled and I started to eat too. I was lost in my thoughts while cutting my steak, but Amie's little voice made me look at her.

"Edward, do you want salad?" she said sweetly, pushing the salad bowl towards me with her tiny hands. My eyes were burning with tears that I was determined not to shed. She liked me… She was talking to me on her own. My hands were shaking as I reached towards the bowl that she somehow managed to push right in front of me.

"Thank you, honey" I said, my voice thick, and she smiled a big smile at me before digging into her meal.

* * *

**BPOV**

Thank God, Rose was with me at the Cullens, because there was no way that I could stay there without her support. I knew I was doing the right thing by letting Edward see Amie. I understood it the moment I saw Edward's face when we walked into the Cullen's living room. He looked both sad and joyful, and he really looked like he was happy to see Amie. It was a good thing, right?

I was feeling a little bit content for a minute there, but then I felt anger. Of course, I was angry at Edward for leaving me before, but the awkwardness that everyone had to endure in that living room made me feel angrier than ever before. It was all Edward's fault. It really was! He should have stayed, then it wouldn't have been awkward. Then Amie wouldn't have had to meet her dad when she was four, because she would have had him from the very start.

But I couldn't even stay angry at him. He was such a jerk, but he was still causing my emotions to go insane. He stood there, in front of me, looking all guilty, sheepish and humble at the same, and it was really hard to not to freak out. I thought I was going to pass out for a minute, but being the independant and strong woman I was, I took a deep breath and composed myself.

It was not easy though. The moment I opened my mouth to make introductions, all my resolve crumbled and I literally was a mess. Rose made an attempt to save me by making the introductions herself, but it would have been even more awkward since she didn't know any of them apart from Alice and Esme.

Of course, Rose gave me a pep talk while we were in the car, and it was really funny because she had to stop herself from swearing. It was really amusing to see her trying to find words that wouldn't make Amie curious. However, now that I was standing in the middle of the Cullen's house, I couldn't find it in myself to find anything funny. No where near funny…

Finally, nervous or not, I decided that I had to suck it up and endure, since I accepted their barbecue invitation. Introducing Emmett and Carlisle to Amie was hard, but introducing Edward was even harder. Telling Amie that he was an old friend was one of the hardest things I had ever had to say. He was not an old friend… He was everything I had wanted once upon a time. He was my happily ever after, and he had ruined it.

I was so nervous that I couldn't even see Amie's reaction when I introduced Edward. Alice tried to give Edward opportunities to talk with Amie, and they did talk. But then Amie was shy, and there was no way she would be all smiles for him when they first met. Of course, my little princess again proved me wrong. By the end of the day, she was all giggling and smiling, and Edward had the cheesiest smile on his face. I wanted to strangle him…I did not know whether I should be happy or sad, but there was one thing I did know: Amie liked Edward. It must be something in the blood… Whatever…

After Emmett's miserable effort at hitting on Rose, Esme sent him outside to start the grill, and everything was tense after that. Emmett and I were never really close, but I loved had a tendency to ease the tension every time I was really nervous, but the moment he opened his mouth to hit on Rose, I wanted Rose to strangle him.

Esme tried so hard to send Edward outside too, so that we could be comfortable, but he refused to go and stayed with us. I could see it in his eyes that he was dying to spend some time with Amie. The situation that we were in was solely his fault, but that didn't stop me from feeling sorry for him. Yeah, I know, I am an idiot. But the way he looked when he was leaving the room after Esme kicked him out was so sad. I couldn't help myself, and without thinking, I offered for him to show Amie the garden.

The look on his face was pure shock, and I was pretty shocked myself too… But the reason we were all here was getting Amie acquainted with Edward, right? Kicking him out of the room would just make the process longer, so what I did was reasonable. In my head at least… My heart was telling me another story. The sight of Amie holding Edward's hand and leaving the room filled my eyes with tears of jealousy.

"Hey, Bella.." Rose tried to soothe me, rubbing my arm while Alice poured me some coffee.

"What you just did was amazing." I heard Esme's voice and looked at her. "I know I wouldn't be able to do that if I were you."

"Sooner or later, it will happen. No need to prolong it" I said, making Alice and Rose nod.

"I'm gonna go and help them. I don't want momma cat to kill Edward." Alice left, grinning.

"Do you want to sit outside? Everything will be ready in thirty minutes or so." Esme said and we all went to the garden.

Cullens had the most amazing garden ever. I used the play in this garden with Alice, imagining that it was the garden of our castle and we were the princesses. It was still the same. Still amazing.

"Do you want to take a stroll in our gardens, your highness?" Carlisle asked, making me laugh. Of course he remembered. We used him in many of our games.

"Those were nice days" I said, sitting down. Rose looked curious, so I told her while Alice and Esme set the table. They didn't let me do anything, so I had no other choice but to sit and wait for Amie.

She appeared soon after, again holding Edward's hand, but this time it didn't make me jealous. She seemed so happy and bright, so I just smiled .She ran to me and proceeded to tell me about the kitten and the bunny they saw. I was aware that Edward was watching us all the time while Amie talked. Normally, it would cause me to freak out, but right now, it was just made me content that he was caring about Amie.

We all sat down to eat before long, but Amie was being a little fussy and refusing to eat anything other than bread. She normally ate everything, and I didn't have the faintest idea why she was doing this right now. But no matter what I said, she didn't oblige.

The moment Edward asked her, everything changed though. She accepted carrots and salad, all smiling, and she even offered Edward some salad like he was her old buddy or something. The little monster called jealousy was screaming inside me, but I found myself smiling. Watching them interact was both nice and sad at the same time, but of course seeing Amie at ease with him was a good thing. And Edward looked like he was about to pass out from happiness, but I didn't find it inside me to be bothered by it. As long as he kept Amie happy, his happiness wouldn't be a bother for me.

After everyone ate, Alice and Esme started to clean the table, again dismissing me and Rose. It was boring, sitting there without doing anything, so I wanted to take a walk or something. I looked at Amie who was lying in my arms, but she was sleeping soundly. So I just sighed and continued to sit. Rose sat for a few minutes with me, but then she accepted Carlisle's offer to show her the garden. Emmett tagged along them, making me snicker silently.

"He never gives up." Edward said, sitting beside me. I found myself getting nervous, but didn't say anything. This was his parent's house, and he was not acting like an ass today. It didn't change the fact that he was an ass in general though.

"Yeah, but Rose is tough." said, looking at him. He looked relieved that I was talking back, and made himself comfortable on his chair.

"She seems like a good friend" he said this time, playing with his hair.

"Yeah, she helped me a lot when I needed it" I said, and the small smile on his lips fainted. He opened his mouth to say something, but I gestured to Amie with my head, and he stopped.

"Thank you for today. For everything" he said, and I nodded. I knew he was referring the kittens and bunnies thing.

"You didn't have to do that, but you did. Thank you, Bella" he said again, this time with more emotion. The last thing I wanted to deal with right now was an emotional talk with Edward while Amie slept on my lap.

"It's Okay. Really." My voice betrayed me by cracking, but Edward didn't say anything. We sat in silence for a few minutes until Rose came towards us, fuming.

"I swear that guy is a fucking idiot!" she shrieked, making Amie jump and wake up. Rose didn't even see her though" he kept staring at my boobs when we were eating and I didn't say anything! Now he comes and grabs them!" she screamed again.

"Rose, language!" I scolded her, but she just waved me off, sitting down. Just as she was about to open her mouth to say something, Emmett came towards us with a bright red face.

"It was an accident. I didn't grab them! I just… touched? " he said, looking like a puppy, but I had a feeling that it wasn't an accident. I think he was just trying to charm Rose's panties off with his 'amazing hands' as he would refer them. This thought made me laugh, and I started snickering like crazy. Rose looked at me with furious eyes, but I couldn't help myself and laughed harder.

"Thanks a lot, Bella!" Rose stomped her foot like Amie did when she was having an hissy fit, and headed towards the house. Just as she was about to enter, she turned towards us and called Amie over, grinning like a mad woman the entire time.

"Come on, Amie. Let's give your mom some time to catch up with her old friend!"

Amie was next to her within a few seconds, and they went inside, Emmett hot on their tails. There was no way I was sitting outside with Edward though. But the question he asked me made me stop death in my tracks.

"Why did you name her Amie?"

Shit! Shit! Shit!

* * *

Thank you for reading!

And I want to say 'thank you' to my beta Ann, for fixing this chapter.

I wrote this chapter from both of their povs. I hope you like it. Please let me know what you think:)

Have a nice day!


	12. Chapter 12

**BPOV**

_"Why did you name her Amie?"_

_Shit! Shit! Shit!_

Did he have to ask that to me? Right now? Yeah, when everything was going smoothly, he just had to ask that. Because he needed to ruin the little peace I had.

"It's a pretty name" I said, standing up so that I could go inside as quickly as possible.

"Yeah, but I heard a song on the radio today, and…" he stopped and looked at me. I just wished I had the power to vanish.

"What song?" I snapped. I was trying to keep my emotions under control, but we were in dangerous territory. I did not want to discuss the name issue. Ever.

"Amie. A Damien Rice song" he answered in an annoyingly calm voice. I was nowhere near as calm though.

"No. I just chose it because it's pretty" I lied, hoping that he would leave me alone. But no such luck, of course.

"I thought that you named her after the song. It was playing when…" he said and stopped. I wished that would not complete his sentence, but he continued, "when I first kissed you. You loved-"

He didn't have a chance to finish, because I found myself yelling at him.

"Oh, you remember?"

"Bella, why wouldn't I remember? You loved that song so much." He was again calm, and it was driving me mad.

"How nice of you to remember! Congrats!" Something inside me was screaming at me to stop at this point, but I just couldn't. I felt like I had to say this to him. I needed to get this off my chest.

"Yes, I loved that song, because it reminded me of you," Taking a deep breath, I continued in a calmer tone. "It reminded me… reminds me of every single beautiful thing we shared. The lyrics of the song are not relevant maybe, but it was playing when everything just started. So I wanted to give Amie that name. You didn't think so, but she was a beautiful thing for me. A beautiful thing that reminded me of you… I just wanted her to have a connection to the happiness I felt with you once, I guess. I know, it sounds weird. "

I felt myself blushing after admitting so many things to him. There was no point in denying that I had loved him so much. He already knew that. He was silent now though. I wondered what he was thinking, but I wasn't going to ask him.

"You… you thought like that after I left? You… really?" he stuttered, and I looked at his face for the first time after I poured my heart out. His face was pale, and his large eyes were looking at me, somewhat frantic.

"Yeah, I guess I did. I was angry, hurt, dissapointed, but I still loved you somewhat then. You can't just fall out of love easily. It takes time."

I didn't know why I was being so bold, but saying these things made me feel good. I had suffered a lot trying to face the truth that he didn't want us. I had loved him so much, and letting him go out of my heart was not an easy thing, but I somehow managed.

"I can't believe that's why you named her Amie. Damn, I can't believe that you still loved me. I'm.. I'm so fucking sorry, Bella. I should've stayed!" he growled the last part.

"Yeah, you've said that before and I said it was okay. It has been five long years, and you're just an acquaintance to me now, Edward. I'm just here because of Amie. So you saying sorry means nothing. Just don't upset her" I said, and watched his face drop noticably. Yeah, I had loved him still then, but now I had no feelings towards him. Maybe a little bit of rage, but certainly not love.

"I promise-" He started, his face serious, but he never had a chance to finish because there was a loud banging noise that made both of us turn our heads and look at the house.

"I guess we should get going before Rose kills Emmett" I said and he smiled weakly. We headed towards the house in silence, but my clumsy trait chose to show itself at that moment. One moment I was walking,and one secod later I found myself sitting down on the first step of the stairs.

"Shit!" I yelped and tried to look at my elbow that as burning. I was lucky this time because it was just my left elbow that was hurting.

"Let me," Edward said and touched my arm to get a closer look.

I wished he hadn't…

The moment he touched my arm, the pain I was feeling was overpowered by something else. I felt something that I thought I would never feel again. I felt the same burning that I had always felt when he touched me in the past.

It could not be happening. I was over him. So over. I had dealt with it years ago, and it was over. But what was happening now? It was not love or like or anything affectionate towards him. It couldn't be… It was just my traitor body. Yeah, it was just that…

I tried to move away from him, but he just grabbed my arm more firmly. Obviously he thought I was fidgeting from the pain in my elbow because he was whispering to me to calm down. He had no idea it was him that was freaking me out.

"I'm fine, Edward. Let me go!" I whisper yelled frantically, hoping that no one saw us. I didn't want them to panic, and I didn't want Amie to see me like this. It was just my stupid elbow. My poor little girl didn't need to see her mom kissing the ground once again after the many times she had seen that.

"It's bleeding. Let's go inside. I'll take care of it." he said, helping me get onto my feet.

"Can't Carlisle do that?" I blurted without thinking, and his hold on my arm loosened almost immediately. Whenever I had fallen or done something to injure myself, Edward was the one to fix me in the past. I just didn't want him close to me now though. It was making me feel strange things that I hadn't felt in years.

"Of course he can" he said in an almost sad voice. Surely, dressing my wound couldn't be that important to him, right? Even if it was important for him, I didn't really care. My head was about to explode right now, and I had no power to endure another encounter with my stupid body's reactions to him. He let go of me, and we walked inside separatedly.

"Oh my God! Did you fall again?" Rose exclaimed, effectively making everyone in the house hear.

"Yep. Thanks for the announcement" I said dryly. She just grinned sheepishly and rushed to my side.

"How bad is the damage?" It was obvious that she was barely keeping herself from smiling.

"Nothing bad. Just my freaking elbow" I said, pointing to my reddish, purplish elbow.

"I'll go get Dad." I momentarily forgot Edward's presence in the room, so when he passed beside me, his arm brushing mine, I wasn't prepared. With just one brush of his arm, my body was again tingling with strange a strange emotion. Rose must have noticed something, because she was eyeing me suspiciously.

"What happened? He was all smiles, and now he's sulking. And you're beet red."

"I fell" I said lamely, but she gave me a look, indicating that she knew there was more to that.

"Later, Rose" I said, and thank God she dropped it. I knew she would grill me about it later though. Moments later, Carlisle came into room, Alice and Esme hot on his tail. I looked for Amie, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Amie?"

"Oh, she's with Edward. They're coloring." Alice beamed, and I couldn't fight the grin that forced itself onto my face.

Carlisle fixed my elbow quickly. I didn't even feel anything.

"It's nothing big. You've seen worse" he said, patting my arm gently. He was right. I thanked him, kissing his cheek, and he gave me a big smile in return.

"I'm glad you're here, Bella."

I couldn't say me too, because I really didn't know. I was glad when I thought that this was good for Amie. But I wasn't sure if it was good for me.

Half an hour later, we were going home in the car that Rose rented. I knew she was dying to ask me about Edward, yet she had the decency to shut her mouth and let Amie babble. Yep, she was still talking about that damn kitten. Every sentence she uttered included 'kitten' or 'Edward', which made me happy to tell the truth. After all, that was my aim.

Edward had a sad smile on his face when he said goodbye to us. The possibility that I caused that smile made me feel sorry for him a little bit. But just a little bit… However, he said goodbye to Amie with such a big smile that I thought his mouth was going to split open.

"Mommy?" Amie said in an overly sweet tone, indicating that she was about to ask for something she wanted. And,wow, she finally managed to say something other than kitty or Edward.

"Yes, Amie?" I said in a flat tone, making Rose chuckle.

"Can I see Edward again? And the kitten?" Considering the way she kept giggling at Edward today, I knew this was coming. Normally she was so shy. It even took some time for her to get used to Charlie, Esme and Alice. The fact that she was so easygoing with Edward was astonishing. It couldn't be just because of the kitten, right?

I felt like I was doing something really good, and for the first time, I felt a tiniest piece of trust towards Edward. After all, he managed to make Amie like him and kept her smiling today.

"Sure, you can. But I don't know when okay?" She nodded, smiling, and turned her head towards the window. Her silence didn't last long though. She was energetic and happy and when she was like that, she couldn't stop talking.

"I like Alice. She's pretty" she said and stopped, looking at me, perhaps waiting for me to confirm her statement. I let out a short laugh and nodded.

"Is Edward's hair orange? It's different" she asked this time, making Rosalie burst into laughter. When Amie had first learned the colors, she had pointed out every color she saw and made us confirm for her. It was sweet and enjoyable at first, seeing her all excited and all, but it had managed to annoy us after a few days. The question she asked just now had a scary resemblance to the questions she had asked then.

"Yes it is. Kind of" I answered, hoping that she would drop it right now. I didn't want to discuss the colors for a few days, and I prayed silently that she would drop it.

"Isn't it bronze?" Rose said from front seat, and I wanted to strangle her.

"What?" Amie asked excitedly, her eyes big.

"Bronze, you know. The color of a penny" Rose said, laughing at her excitement. "Bella, do you have a penny?"

I searched through my purse and found one. Handing it to Amie, I watched her face while she looked at the money carefully.

"It is like his hair" she said finally, smiling. She looked at it a little bit more before giving it back to me.

That night, she fell asleep quickly, mumbling about the kitten, Edward and the penny. It was impossible to feel bitter while she was this content, so I found myself smiling more than once. I felt like I was supposed to hate Edward's guts, but when he made Amie this happy, it was nearly impossible to feel hatred. I just felt the pain and the disappointment that were caused by knowing that everything could be so different.

After tucking her in, I went downstairs only to find Rose chatting animatedly with Dad. I didn't have the faintest idea what they were talking about, but I guessed it was about cars since I heard a few terms that were unfamiliar to me. We sat and watched TV together for a while until Dad went to bed. As soon as he was out of our sight, Rose turned to me with curious eyes.

"So, spill! What the hell happened in the garden? I'm sorry for leaving you with him by the way" she said, snuggling into the couch's pillow. Yep, she was making herself comfortable for a long talk.

"Don't worry about that" I said, fiddling with my fingers.

"Stop playing with your fingers. You two were weird after that. What happened?" she was insistent, and I needed to tell someone anyway.

"He asked me the reason why I named her Amie"

"What did you say?" she said in one breath. She knew the reason of course. She was with me while I cried and cried during my hormonal days.

"I told him the truth" I whispered, and Rose gasped.

"What? Should I not have?" I panicked. She was better at this kind of stuff, and her opinion was important.

"No, not that. I'm just surprised. I just thought that you would have changed the subject or something" she said in a gentle voice.

"Believe me, I tried. But then I felt anger and I just wanted him to know the things he caused. I wanted him to feel the littlest bit of the pain he had caused me." My eyes again were filled with tears, and I sniffled, wiping them.

"And then I heard your voice." I giggled and she glared at me.

"You're doing it again. It's not funny. That Emmett guy is a moron. Seriously, he is just… I can't even find a word to describe him" she said, fury evident in her eyes. Emmett was a good guy, and I wanted to tell her that, but I had more important things to talk about. Emmett dug his own grave anyway.

"Sorry" I said and she nodded, motioning for me to continue. "I fell down after that, you know. He… he held my arm to look at the damage, and I just felt… I felt tingly all of a sudden. I mean, I don't love him, but my whole body was on fire when he touched me today. Why? How?" I asked not caring about the fact that my voice sounded weak.

"That's why you were so flushed." She grinned triumphantly. "Well you don't need to love him to feel that, honey. When was the last time you fucked someone?" she asked, making me gasp.

"What the hell, Rose? How is that related to our topic now?" I nearly yelled, but yelling was the only way I could cope with her crude language.

"Oh, honey. Believe me it's related. He may be an asshole, but he is easy on the eyes. Your body just must have remembered the times it-"

"Stop! Stop stop stop! It's nothing like that!" I shrieked and she laughed loudly. God, actually she really was perfect for Emmett.

"What? You fucked him. Amie is the proof" she said nonchalantly, making me gape at her again.

"Yes, we had sex. But it's not like I want to have sex with him now. What you are saying is nonsense. Just because I felt hot and tingly when he touched my arm didn't mean that I wanted to have sex with him!" I defended myself with a weak voice. I was beet red at this point.

"Honey, you don't need to deny it. You're saying it yourself. Hot and tingly." she smirked and continued. "So tell me, why did your body get hot and tingly when he touched you then?"

"I don't know. What I know is that I definitely don't love him anymore." Rose nodded emphatically. She was with me when I was trying to forget Edward, and she knew how hard it was for me. " And, I certainly don't want to have sex with him." I glared at her when I said this, and she chuckled.

"Your brain may not want to, but your body tells another story" she winked, and this time I hit her head with a pillow.

"What? I didn't say go fuck him. I just said your body wants to. You're a woman! You have needs. Tell me Bella, when was the last time you flirted with someone?"

To tell the truth, I didn't have any exprerience in the relationship department other than Edward. Pathetic, but he was my first and last everything. I didn't even date with anyone ater him, let alone sex.

"Edward doesn't count" she said, smirking, just I was about to open my mouth.

"Jacob?" I offered and she burst into laughter.

"The guy who didn't understand that you were pregnant?" she asked between her laughter and I nodded, laughing too.

We met Jacob when I had been four months pregnant with Amie. I was sitting on a bench with Rose on campus when he had approached us with a smile on his face. He had used one of the cheesiest lines I had ever heard and asked for my number. I had thanked him and said I didn't date. He had pressed a little but left us other time we had seen him, I was five months along and we had bumped into each other in the cafeteria. When he had seen my bump, his eyes had become enormous and he asked me the question that still made Rose cackle.

"_Were you pregnant back then too? Thank God, you said no."_

"He was hilarious, but he doesn't count either. He flirted with you. You didn't flirt back" she aid in a know it all manner. Actually, Rose knew it all when it came to this kind of stuff.

"Okay, I admit! I only flirted with Edward. I only kissed Edward. I only slept with Edward. Happy now?" I said quickly.

"Yep, admitting is one thing. But can I ask you something?" she said and I nodded yes. I was sure that she would ask something that would make me uncomfortable though.

"Are you going to live the rest of your life like this? Without letting anyone in?"

"I… I don't know, Rose" I stammered. After Edward, I didn't find anyone interesting. Rose tried to set me up a few times last year, but I simply rejected the offer. It just didn't feel right. "Amie is so little."

"She won't stay this little. She'll grow up. I think it's time you stop living like a nun."

Maybe she was right, but I couldn't find it inside me to like someone else, let alone love them. It was like my heart had been used up and now it was incapable of loving any other man. The mere thought of any other man made me cringe actually, and I banned myself from thinking of Edward.

"It's not easy" I mumbled, looking anywhere and at nything other than Rose. She always tried to talk about this topic, but it made me uneasy.

"I know, Bella. Just think about it, okay? " she said and I nodded. Both of us knew that I was not going to think about it.

We sat in dead silence for a while until Rose spoke again.

"Carlisle is fuck hot. I mean, he's hotter than Emmett and Edward. Esme is one lucky woman" she said out of nowhere, fanning herself with her hand. Carlisle was handsome, it was old news. But to me, he was just like a father. I had never given a thought to his 'hotness'.

"So, you think Emmett is hot, then?" I asked sneakily. After all the humiliation I had to endure, it was now her turn to get some.

"I never said he wasn't. He's just a moron. And I'm tired of dealing with hot but brainless guys" she said, examining her cuticles. She tried to look nonchalant, but I knew she found Emmett attractive.

"He actually is a really good man. And smart too. I like him. He just acts like an idiot around you for some reason. Must be your good looks." I giggled and she rolled her eyes.

"I don't need an idiot. And I live in Seattle anyway. Maybe a one night stand?" She wiggled her eyebrows and I just laughed. I just knew that she would crack. I just knew.

"You're just like Emmett." I sighed.

Rose stayed that night, but unfortunately she had to return to Seattle the next day. It was again a teary goodbye, including promises that we would see each other again soon. I was determined to visit her as soon as possible.

Two hours after she left, Alice came to visit us, grinning from ear to ear. If I hadn't known her practically since I was born, it might have looked scary. We sat and watched a movie that Amie picked. Alice kept fidgeting through the movie though. So I knew she had something to say.

"What is it, Alice?"

"What?" she said, throwing me an innocent look that I didn't buy.

"I know you want to say something" I said and watched her smile widen.

"Ok. I'm telling you this. But please think about it before you say no, okay?" she said in a pleading voice and I nodded morosely, wondering what she would spill this time.

"You know my fiancé Jasper has to work in New York for a while, right?" she asked in a sweet voice and I wondered why she was telling me this.

"Yeah, I know."

"Well, he's coming here next weekend to visit!" she shrieked happily, making me grin too. I didn't know how that was related to me, but I was happy for her. I hadn't met Jasper yet, but from what Alice told me, he sounded like a great guy.

"His plane will land in Port Angeles at 7 pm, and I'm going to pick him up. But I was thinking about going a little bit early. You know, for shopping. There's really nothing in Forks. Do you wanna come?" she asked, her eyes big. If I didn't know better, I would feel sorry for her and her lack of opportunities here in Forks.

"I can't. I can't leave Amie on a weekend day" I said, knowing that she wouldn't leave me alone.

"She loves shopping. Come on! We can buy little clothes for her. Right, Amie?" I didn't even realize that Amie was listening to us intently until Alice pointed it out. Amie nodded and smiled at Alice happily before turning her attention back to theTV.

"Traitor" I mouthed to Alice, and she just shrugged, smiling.

"So? You're coming right?" Her voice was so hopeful that I couldn't say no. I guessed going shopping wouldn't hurt just this time. Amie needed some clothes and a bathrobe anyway.

"Okay, but I'm not waking up in the crack of the dawn." I said sternly and she nodded in a serious manner.

"I promise. But there is this thing…" she said again with that same tone and the big eyes. O course, there was more.

"What, Alice?" I sighed and she smiled guiltly.

"I may have mentioned this to Edward, and he may have wanted to come too" she said so fast that I almost didn't catch it.

"What? Why?" I whined. Okay, maybe he was really good with Amie and passed the first test. But Rose really confused me with her logic, causing me to start having some inaproppriate thoughts about Edward. She had a point though. The burning and all of those feelings that he evoked inside me when he touched my arm were familiar. My body was reacting to his. But that didn't mean I wanted to jump his bones. And just because he touched my arm? Ridiculous…

"He wants to see Amie" Alice whispered, looking at Amie. "And he doesn't want to bother you while doing this. He's creating an opportunity. It's okay with me. We can all have breakfast together and then go to the mall. He can look after Amie, while we have some fun" she aid, clapping her hands.

I wanted to say no. I didn't even want to go that stupid mall, let alone go with Edward. But somehow I found myself saying yes…

* * *

Hi!

Thank you for reading!:) Please let me know what you think about this chapter...

And a huge 'THANK YOU' to my beta for fixing this so fast:)

Have you seen Eclipse? I saw it, and I think it's much better than New Moon. What do you think? I went to see it with a friend of mine who always made fun of the books and the movies. (nobody else was in town, so I had to go with him) And guess what? He fell in love with Riley, and now he wants to watch it again:) I guess I'll go and watch with him again. Watching Rob again wouldn't hurt, right?:)

Have a nice weekend!


	13. Chapter 13

**EPOV**

I was dreaming… I knew it was a dream somehow while I was dreaming, but it was still wonderful. Somehow we were back in the past, in that hospital room. Her test results indicating that she was pregnant was in my hand. Instead of yelling at Bella, I was hugging her and kissing her with all my might, whispering at the same time.

"_We're gonna make it, love. It's gonna be okay." _

The loud shrill of my phone made me wake up from my dream. Cursing, I rolled on bed and grabbed my phone from the nightstand. _Alice. _If only she would have called a few minutes later…

If only I had said those words to Bella instead of yelling at her, leaving her…

"Hello," I said groggily.

"Don't tell me you were sleeping! It's just nine," she shrieked. Yep, nine was late if you were not working your ass off in your dad's busy clinic.

"I had a busy day, Alice. Terrible headache. So I went to sleep. Something happened?"

"Yep! I talked to Bella today. Guess what?"

Suddenly I was not feeling drowsy. After Bella, Amie and Rose left yesterday, Alice mentioned a shopping trip that was going to involve Bella and Amie. Normally, even the mere mention of shopping with Alice made me want to throw up, but since I didn't know when I would get to see Amie again, I practically begged Alice to go with them. Yep, I was pathetic.

"She said no, right?" I muttered.

"Lighten up! She said yes!" Alice's loud shrieking into the phone made me smile for the first time. I thanked her profusely, and she smugly accepted it. She had a right to be smug. I loved my little sister to pieces…

After Alice's phone call, I couldn't sleep. So I just grabbed a DVD, intending to watch it and went into the living room. At the end of the movie, I didn't have a freaking idea what it was about though. My mind was somewhere else…

Yesterday was amazing. I mean, really amazing… Amie was the cutest thing I had ever seen, and Bella watched us both smiling. I thought nothing would dampen my mood. I was wrong of course. I asked Bella a question and everything I had pushed side me came to surface full force. The guilt, self hatred, pain…

She was pregnant with my baby, and I had asked her to get rid of it. While I was such an asshole, such a miserable fucker who needed to be alienated, she not only gave birth to our daughter, but she also named her Amie… She named her Amie, because she had still loved me then… She wanted our daughter to have something that reminded her of our happier days…

"_You can't just fall out of love easily. It takes time." _

I hadn't deserve them then, and I still didn't… But I just loved them so much. I still loved Bella so much…

When I asked her the question yesterday, she boldly told me the reason, making me feel even worse. The guilt I felt multiplied, suffocating me. When I was selfishly going on with my life, drowning in self pity, she had bigger things to deal with. Much more bigger. I almost regretted asking her. But no, I deserved every single thing coming from her. So I would just gladly welcome the feelings that her answer caused.

If only I had been as courageous as I was in my dream back then. Everything would have been so different. I would have deserved them. I would have been able to look at Amie's face without feeling guilt. I was a fucking coward back then, and now I was paying for it.

I was so grateful when a sound was heard from the house, because I really was having difficulty in breathing. It was like something heavy was on my chest, trying to suffocate me. I really needed time to think, to absorb all of this. But I didn't have a chance. Because when Bella fell down, she gave me more things to think about.

I touched her delicate arm, and it made me remember every touch that we had shared in past. Maybe that was the reason for my dream, I didn't know. But I felt so weird right that moment. Weird, but full of emotion… I knew that I still loved her, so the things I felt were not a big surprise. However, the intensty of those feelings surprised me. The all familiar excitement rushed through me, making my heart beat deliriously in my chest. Touching her still felt the same… She was still warm,soft, beautiful… She was still my Bella. She just didn't love me anymore… She didn't even like me.

She didn't even want me to fix her elbow. As much as I wanted to stay and do it myself, I agreed to call Dad to take care of it. He rushed to her immediately, Alice in tow.

I was about to go with them too, but Alice made some motion with her head, and when I looked at where she motioned, my eye caught Amie's panicked form. She was sitting on the floor with crayons and papers in front of her, looking wide eyed at the commotion that was happening in the house.

"Is it okay if I join you?" I asked, hoping she would say yes. After everything Bella just said, I didn't know if I could handle rejection from Amie too. However, to my delight, she nodded vigorously and I sat down next to her smiling.

"What were you drawing?" There was some orange colored thing that she was coloring, but I couldn't understand what it was.

"Kitten," she said and blushed for no reason at all. While I was looking at her face, fascinated with the resemblance it had with Bella's. She gave a crayon to me and smiled. I guessed it was her way of telling me to color, so I myself drew a kitten too and colored it. It was really absurd and pathetic when I thought about how much fun my 27 year old self had while coloring with a 4 year old.

Before I had a chance to add a second kitten, it was time for them to go, and I was feeling miserable. How I could leave them in the first place was beyond me now. They said goodbye to everyone, and it didn't go unnoticed by me that Rosalie avoided Emmett like the plague. I would have laughed at it normally, but I was too busy trying not to stare at Bella too much. Now that I had finally spent time with them, not knowing when I would be able to see them hurt me so much.

So,now I was sitting in my living room, miserably trying to find a way to see them again instead of watching the movie playing in front of me. Of course, Alice made my day by making Bella say yes to going 'shopping' with us, but it was a week away, and I was getting impatient. But there was nothing I could do at this point. Since drowning in my thoughts did not help my extremely busy work schedule, I turned of the TV and went to bed.

It was quite funny how time passed so slowly when you waited for something. That week was like punishment. I was dying to see them, but I knew it wasn' an option. I was wallowing in self pity at the beginning of the week, but self pity turned into anticipation as the days passed. I was extremely moody, which made my dad go insane. He knew that I was waiting for the weekend to see Bella and Amie, and he understood. When this affected my work, he was not that understanding though.

The week had passed without me hearing anything about Bella and Amie. Of course, Alice saw them nearly everyday, which made me quite jealous, to tell the truth. It was finally Friday, and I was one day away from seeing them when Alice came to visit me, her arms full with colorful shopping bags.

"Hi, big brother!" She entered with a creepy smile on her face. "I have good news for you!" she shrieked, sitting down. Her bubbly attitude annoyed me to no end, since I was dying from anticipation. But when she said good news, I was all ears.

"Good news?" I asked, tentatively.

"Definitely. Since my car has only room for two people, we have to take your car tomorrow along with mine."

"Okay," I said, not really understanding what was so good about that. Of course it was good to be driving my own car, but I just didn't understand.

"Why don't we just go in my car? You don't need yours." I stated and Alice rolled her eyes.

"You know we're picking up Jasper, right? I haven't seen him in a very long time, and I don't want to spend our first few hours in that drama filled awkward silence that happens whenever Bella and you are in the same room. Sorry," She said in one breath and looked at me sheepishly

Suddenly, it all came crashing down on me. Since Alice had only room for one person, and Amie would refuse to go without her mom, Bella and Amie would be riding with me. The three of us would be alone. It would probably be awkward, but it would be good.

"Finally you got it." Alice rolled her eyes again in a playful manner as a goofy grin covered my face. She reached for something among the many bags she had, and pushed a really big one in front of me with her high heel covered foot.

"What's this?" I asked in curiosity, hoping that she didn't buy me a super shopping trip outfit or something.

"It is, my dear brother, a car seat. For Amie," she said smugly and I mentally smacked myself. Of course she would need a car seat, and I hadn't even thought about it before. I suddenly felt like a failure. I was letting her down without her knowing already. Noticing my sullen expression, Alice chirped again.

"Don't brood! At least I remembered to buy one. It could've been worse. You're good now." She stood up and moved to sit next to me.

"What kind of a man I am? What kind of a father?" I said, and she huffed in my ear loudly.

"At this point sulking won't get you anywhere. Just install the seat and use this opportunity wisely. You'll have both of them in your car," she said, ruffling my hair. Normally, I would get angry at that, but I let her.

She handed a small bag to me that I didn't recognize she had in her hands until now. Knowing that she wouldn't tell me what it was, I opened it. I was in no mood for surprises though, and nothing could improve my mood after that car seat failure.

I was wrong… So wrong… I opened the wrapper and found a plain picture frame which had a beautiful picture of Amie inside. She was looking directly at the camera and smiling, showing her teeth. It was so cute that it made me choke out a laugh.

"I thought you wouldn't care about the frame, so I got a plain one to go along with your furniture," Alice babbled, and I couldn't help myself. I threw my arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"Thank you,Al," I whispered, releasing her.

"Your welcome. I'm so glad you like it."

"I love it, Alice. I can't thank you enough, you know. For everything," I said, looking into her sincere blue eyes.

"Aaah, cut it short," shejoked, punching me in the arm. "She talks about you, you know? Amie. Bella acts like she doesn't care, but she's smiling every time Amie mentions you."

Upon Alice's words, I felt warm all over. Amie must have liked me, otherwise she wouldn't talk about me, right?

"Again that goofy grin!" Alice made fun of me, poking my side.

"I can't help it. I swear my emotions change every minute." She threw her head back and laughed loudly.

"It's what you get. You can't complain," she eased, but she was right. So damn right.

"I know, Ali. It's more than I deserve, and I'm certainly not complaining. I can endure every mood swing if that means I get to have Amie and Bella," I said in a really chipper tone, but she suddenly froze.

"Bella?" She asked, her eyes wide.

"I didn't mean it that way. It just slipped out," I lied, but Alice didn't seem to buy it.

"You don't only want Amie, do you? You really want Bella, too." I had no choice but to nod. She was my sister who helped me enormously and she deserved to know the truth more than anyone.

"I know you still love her,Edward. But that is nearly impossible. I mean, I don't know of course. But even if she still loves you, she just can't let go of the past. If it were me, I wouldn't," she stuttered nervously.

"I know. She doesn't love me. She said it herself. As I said, it just slipped. Don't worry, Alice," I said, patting her hand.

"Just don't fuck everything up by making a move or something, Edward. Promise me?" she asked, and I knew I had no choice but to promise. I had not intended to make a move anyway. I knew Bella was over me.

"No worries. I know all I can get is Amie, and it is more than I deserve. It's a miracle. Really." I gave her a sad smile, and thankfully she dropped it.

She stayed for another hour. We just sat and talked about Amie. She told me about her visits. I learned that my girl loved stories. She loved both listening to them and making them up. It was adorable. She loved watching TV way too much, which made Bella freak out. She was usually silent, but always listening to what happened around her… The more Alice talked, the more I felt myself grow impatient. I needed to see her, and I didn't know how I could wait until the morning.

After Alice left, I went to my room and carefully placed Amie's picture on my nightstand. Seeing her smiling face was a wonderful feeling, and I often found myself smiling at it. Alice specifically ordered me to meet her in front of Bella's house at nine in the morning, so I knew I had to go to sleep soon to get some rest. Work was tiring me out too much lately, and the last thing I wanted was to be tired tomorrow.

I was wide awake at seven in the morning of that much anticipated Saturday. I thought that now that I had met Amie, I wouldn't be so excited, but it was wrong. I really was excited. Getting out of bed, I took a long shower to calm myself down, which turned out to be ineffective. Dressing in a pair of black jeans and a green polo shirt along with a pair of converse, I went into the kitchen. I thought about having breakfast, but I just didn't feel like eating anything, so I skipped it.

By quarter past eight, I was outside of my building, trying to install Amie's car seat. It really looked easy when I first read the instructions, but it turned out to be one tough job. After fighting with it for twenty minutes, it was finally ready and looked good. I smiled at the empty seat, imagining Amie sitting on it, and then rolled my eyes to myself.

Ten minutes later, I found myself in front of Bella's house. There were almost fifteen minutes until Alice would be here, so I turned on the radio and tried to kill some time. It was the longest fucking fifteen minutes of my life, but then I heard Alice's small car's honk. Taking a deep breath, I got out of the car the moment Bella and Amie came outside.

* * *

**BPOV**

Time had a habit of passing too quickly when you dreaded something approaching. This week was the ultimate proof of that. When Alice first mentioned the Port Angeles shopping thing, I tried to find solace in the fact that it was a week away. But here I was, on that dreaded Saturday morning, all groggy and unhappy.

I really wanted to spend some time with Alice. She and Rose were the best friends I could ever ask for. And I really wanted Amie to spend some time with Edward. I just didn't want to see Edward… That was all…

After the barbecue, I didn't see him, and he didn't try to approach us, which I was thankful for. That day I admitted to him more than I was comfortable with, and now I didn't know how I would look at his face without blushing beet red. Rose didn't help the situation, either. She and her crude remarks really did a number on me even if I hated to admit that.

When we were dating, Edward and I really had fun, doing… that. I mean, as Emmett would say, we were going at it like bunnies at every chance we got. After everything fell apart and I had Amie, I felt no desire for that anymore. Of course, I got turned on from time to time, but that was all. And I was really content! Rose just had to spoil all of it, of course.

After having that mortifying talk with her, I found myself daydreaming about Edward more than once, and it was damn embarrassing. It was like suddenly I was feeling like a woman after five years. A really needy and horny woman… I chastised myself too many times, stating inside my head that I was a mother and a teacher and the guy I was fantasizing about was an asshole. That managed to deter my daydreams, but by turning them into dreams…

Needless to say, I was a horny and emotional mess that Saturday morning, and I really didn't know how to act around Edward. I mean, I could just ignore him, but that would be stupid. After giving myself a pep talk about not behaving like a lunatic teenage girl around Edward, I got out of bed with the intention of waking Amie up, but she beat me to it. She was sitting on her bed, looking at me with excited eyes.

"Morning, baby" I mumbled with a sleepy voice that made her giggle.

"Morning. Your hair looks funny," she said, still giggling.

"Gee, thanks." I rolled my eyes at her and looked at the clock. It was nearly eight, and we needed to hurry up if we didn't want to make Alice and Edward wait. Actually, it was just Alice I didn't want to make wait. Edward's sorry ass could wait all day long. His sorry, but sexy ass…

What the hell? Really, Bella?

I cursed myself internally, as I helped Amie to get downstairs. Swooning after his ass was the last thing I needed today, and thanks to Rose and my traitor hormones, I found myself thinking about his ass in the crack of the morning.

"We don't have much time, so pick out a cereal." I said Amie, smiling apologeticly.

"Fruit Loops!" she shirieked, jumping. Alice visited us a few times this week, and the effects of that visits were visible on Amie. She really adored Alice and watched her like a hawk. Alice dressed as fancy as Rose, so she was something to look at of course. I was just good ol' mom.

After having our little breakfast, I ushered Amie upstairs, promising that we would have a larger breakfast when we got to Port Angeles. I guessed the extemely sugary cereal she ate would be enough for her for a few hours.

As soon as we entered our room, Amie opened the closet door and went through her clothes. She looked so much like Rose at these times, and it was scary.

"You should wear something comfortable. We'll be there all day" I said, hoping that she wouldn't choose a fancy dress or something. Once she decided, it was hard to make her change her mind. Thankfully, she chose a cute blue shirt with a bow at the back and a pair of beige shorts. I grabbed a pair of jeans and a spare shirt for her in case something happened and she needed them. You ever know what would happen with four year olds. Putting Amie's spare clothes in that ridiculously large tote bag that Rose bought for me, I helped Amie to put on her clothes.

"You look so cute," I gushed, kissing her unruly hair. She gave me a toothy grin and started to play with her hair, indicating that she wanted me to do her hair. After braiding her hair, it was time for me to get ready, and I had no freaking idea what to wear.

We were going to a mall where there would be a lot of people and then I would be meeting Jasper, so I guessed it would be appropriate if I gave a little bit of thought to it. I didn't want to overdo it though. Casual, but smart.

After looking at my closet blankly for five minutes, I saw Amie's tiny hand holding some pinkish colored, see through thing out to me. I immediately recognized the blouse that Rose forced me to buy from sale in Seattle. She said the color suited me, but I thought it just made me blush even more. Sighing, I grabbed it to wear. There was nothing else I could wear anyway, and it was already quarter to nine. Wearing a beige colored tank top underneath, I put on the pinkish blouse with some dark washed skinny jeans.

Exactly at nine o'clock, I heard a car honk outside, indicating that they were here. Having no time to freak out, I grabbed my purse and Amie's hand. She was practically bursting with excitement while I tried to write a quick note to Dad. Well, at least one of us was excited about the day.

The moment I opened the door, Amie walked as fast as she could towards Alice, who was beaming. I smiled and waved at Alice, and turned my head only to see Edward, who was looking intently at me. I felt flushed all over and suddenly felt really awake. Fearing that he would understand if I looked at him, I just nodded him before turning my head to Amie and Alice.

"Bella, good morning!" Alice kissed my cheek, smiling and then kissed Amie's cheek loudly. Amie giggled in delight, and played with her shirt's hem. She was peeking at Edward, and it was not unnoticed by him, judging from the enourmous grin on his face.

"Give Amie her good morning kiss, come on!" Alice encouraged Edward, and Edward knelt down in front of Amie. He looked at her intently for a few seconds, grasping her shoulders. Just as I was about to freak out, he kissed her cheek and then whispered something to her, which made Amie giggle more.

Edward stood up again, and started to look at Alice as if asking what to do next. But before Alice had a chance to speak, Amie tugged on Edward's arm, gaining his attention.

"Yes, Amie?" He turned to her with an affectionate expression on his face. I was admiring their adorable interaction when my traitor of a daughter blurted the words that made me want to dig a hole and hide.

"Give mommy a good morning kiss, Edward!" she said,mimicking Alice's earlier actions. The second the words came out of Amie's mouth, I was fire engine red. I turned my head to see a snickering Alice and an overly nervous Edward.

Amie was looking at Edward with expectant eyes, and I just knew that Edward wouldn't deny her. He threw me a meaningful look and I just shrugged, thinking that a small kiss on the cheek for the sake of Amie wouldn't hurt.

Edward approached me with tentative steps and stopped in front of me. Leaning towards my face, he grazed my cheek with lips, making me become even more red. The instant he put his lips on my cheek, my heart went into a frenzy and I felt my eyes water. He pulled his lips away soon, and I found my body leaning towards him without me realising. Scolding myself internally, I composed myself and smiled at Amie, who was beaming like a light at that point.

"So, now that every one of us has got their morning kisses, we need to talk about riding arrangements," Alice said cheekily, and I wanted to spoil her perfectly curled hair. Didn't she see I was freaking out here? Obviously, she didn't see, because she continued with the words that made nearly made me cry.

"Since I have space for just one person, and the car seat for Amie is in Edward's car, I think it's the most appropriate if you ride with Edward, Bella."

Really? Was that some kind of sick joke that was trying to test my limit? I sighed and looked at Alice's car which obviously had room for just one more person. Then I glanced at Edward's Volvo, which was mocking me with all of its brightness. There was nothing bright in this situation. Unfortunately, having no other choice, I nodded before sending Alice a glare. She just smiled sheepishly.

Moments later, I was sitting in the backseat of Edward's car with an overly cheerful Amie who kept fiddling with the buckles that kept her in her seat. After warning her a few times, she finally stopped and gave her attention to the song on the radio.

"Everything's okay there?" Edward asked, turning back..

Our eyes met the moment I looked at his face, and I nodded, still feeling his lips on my cheek…

* * *

Hi! Firstly, thank you so much for reading. Please let me know what you think:)

And I want to thank everyone who reviewed last chapter and put my story on their favorites list. Also a huge 'thank you' to my beta for fixing this:)

Have a wonderful day!


	14. Chapter 14

**EPOV**

I swear there were no child friendly songs playing on the radio nowadays. I searched through the stations or minutes only to find nothing. As I mentally cursed myself for not having any CDs in the car, I glanced at Alice who was walking towards her car very carefully in her extremely high heels. I never understood why she forced herself to wear that kind of stuff when she was obviously uncomfortable. When I had asked her about that when she was a teenager, she mumbled something about her legs, height and being sexy. Imagining Alice being sexy was the last thing I needed. Gross…

After that amazing move my lovely daughter made outside, we buckled Amie up and got ready for the ride. She kept moving in her seat though, making me wonder if she was uncomfortable. I was sure that I had installed the car seat correctly, but her fidgeting made me question myself. Finally finding an appropriate song on the radio, I turned to them asking if everything was okay.

My eyes found Bella's immediately, and she nodded, blushing. I barely restricted myself from smiling while turning to look at Amie who was listening intently to the song. I gave her a big smile and turned back to look at Alice.

I always drove fast. I liked speeding. But now that I had Amie in the same car with me, I knew speeding wasn't an option for me. So I chose to follow Alice and keep up with her speed. Even though she claimed otherwise, she drove like an old woman, and with that speed, we would be all right.

The first moments of our drive passed in dead silence, making me even more nervous. Alice was right. Whenever Bella and I were in the same room, we caused 'drama filled awkward silence'. Of course, I knew this would be awkward, especially after the kiss that I planted on Bella's cheek.

The kiss…

My little girl was a genious. Really a genious… She just didn't know that she made my day with that sentence she uttered.

When I first saw them coming out of the house in the morning, I didn't know what do to with myself. I mean, I really wanted to hug Amie, but I didn't want to offend or hurt Bella. She was fine with me interacting with Amie at the barbecue, but that day ended a little bit awkwardly for the both of us. Amie was looking at me, making me grin like an idiot though.

Alice saved me by encouring me to give Amie a good morning kiss. Thinking that Bella wouldn't be upset since Alice urged me, I knelt down in front of my beautiful girl to kiss her cheek. For a moment, I felt so overwhelmed. After not seeing her in a week, seeing her beautiful eyes looking at me was the best thing ever. Absorbing her gorgeous face, I kissed her cheek and whispered the sentence that was screaming inside my head all morning.

"You and your mommy look so beautiful today."

Amie's gleeful giggles made me proud of myself, and I stood up, thinking that this kiss was the best I would get today. How wrong I was! I was going to go and start the car, but Amie tugged my arm. When I asked her what she wanted, she said the sentence that made me want to jump up and down like Alice on a good day. I knew I was being ridiculous, but I couldn't help it. Amie wanted me to give her momma a morning kiss, so who was I to deny her?

I tried to hide how entusiastic I was, and turned to look at Bella who was crimson at this point. She probably didn't want me to kiss her, and just let me for the sake of Amie. I couldn't restrain myself from feeling a little bit of joy though.

The second my lips touched her flaming, soft cheek, my heart ached. I felt pain, longing, frustration and love wash all over me. I wanted to stay like this forever. My lips on her cheek… But I knew that she didn't want that. She didn't want me to be near her, let alone kiss her. Everything was about Amie.

With that thought in my head, I forced myself to take a few steps back and tried to understand what Alice was talking it was difficult to understand what was happening while my mind and heart were going insane. However, from the dejected look on Bella's face when she walked towards my car, I understood that Alice informed her about our driving arrangements, and Bella didn't like it. I didn't expect her to like it.

For a moment, I felt like we were torturing her with this and I felt really guilty. She was giving me everything I wanted and needed, and I was still causing her discomfort. But the moment Amie raised her arms towards me, silently asking me to put her on her seat, all the guilt I felt replaced itself with happiness.

"Edward?" Amie's soft voice brought me back to present and Bella turned abruptly to look at her.

"Yes?" I asked, smiling, but not taking my eyes from the road.

"Your hair is like penny. Bronze," she stated out of nowhere, making Bella snort. I didn't understand what that was about, but I just nodded.

"Yes, it's like a penny," I confirmed. Bella snorted again with a small giggle. I really didn't understand what was going on, but I was happy that she was giggling.

Thirty minutes later, I had an idea of why Bella was snorting and giggling though. Amie asked me about nearly every color and made me confirm her assumptions. If she wasn't my kid and she wasn't cute, I would have ended this color game long ago. However, I didn't want to upset her, so I just sucked it up and answered. At least there wasn't any 'drama filled silence' in the car.

After she made me confirm the kitten that I fucking adored now was actually orange and not bronze, she stopped talking for a few minutes.

"Amie?" I asked tentatively. Did I upset her? I answered every question, but what if she didn't like the answers?

"She fell asleep," Bella whispered and I nodded in relief. "She falls asleep easily in cars," she added and cleared her throat. I wanted her to continue to talk about Amie. I was dying to know more about Amie, and hearing her talk about our daughter was the most beautiful thing ever. But she stopped talking, and I didn't say anything either.

Before long we were in Port Angeles and parking in front of a small cafe that Alice chose to have our breakfast. I stopped the car and turned back to find an amazing sight. Amie was sleeping soundly, her lips puckered and her little fists clutching the belts that were keeping her safe. Bella's eyes were closed too, with a serene expression on her face, but I wasn't sure if she was sleeping. I couldn't help myself and took a picture of them with my phone, intending to frame and put it next to Amie's on my nightstand. After securely saving the photo, I put my phone in my pocket and turned to them.

"Bella?" I asked and she immediately opened her beautiful eyes.

"I am not sleeping. I guess I was about to." Shit! I wondered if she knew that I took their photo, but she didn't say anything even if she knew..

"Are we in Port Angeles?" She asked yawning and making ma gape at her like an idiot. Her face was free of make up and a little pink. Her lips were naturally rosy and formed the cutest O shape when she yawned. I just wanted to kiss her lips…

I shook my head and cleared my mind to answer her question, but before I had a chance to open my mouth and answer, Alice threw open car's door, screaming.

"I'm hungry! Come on!"

The second Alice screamed, Amie jumped and woke up, making me want to strangle Alice. Bella immediately started stroking Amie's hair while I glared at Alice.

"What?" Alice asked innocently, and I rolled my eyes while Bella snorted.

"Try to be a little bit quiet the next time you see a sleeping kid, Alice," Bella said, softly, still stroking Amie's head. Amie was looking at her surroundings with wide and innocent eyes. She just looked so puzzled and it was the cutest thing I had ever seen.

Glaring at Alice again, I got out of the car and opened the door on Amie's side. Alice mumbled something about 'overprotective parents' under her breath and started tapping her foot. With Bella's help, we unbuckled Amie and put her on her feet. Obviously she didn't want to walk, because she was clinging to my leg with all her might.

"Sleepy?" I asked, while lifting her in my arms and she just nodded. Smiling and kissing her forehead, I looked up to see Bella looking at us. I gave her a tentative smile, thinking that she would just flip me off and walk away, but she gave me a small smile, again proving me wrong. She was a better person than I could ever be.

"I'm sorry for talking loud. Can we eat now?" Alice said, coming next to me and giving Amie a big kiss on her head.

"It wasn't talking loud, Al. It was screaming," Bella said, annoyed. I guess she was still angry with Alice for the driving arrangements.

"Okay. I said I was sorry, Momma Bear. Come on, now! I'm hungry," Alice beamed, and I watched the small and beautiful smile that was forming on Bella's face in fascination. Those two never managed to stay upset at each other, and the only time they were apart was the result of me being a huge asshole.

Five minutes later, we were sitting in a booth, and Alice was practically forcing everyone to order pancakes.

"I swear they are the best. Don't tell her, but they're even better than Mom's."

"I'm so going to tell Esme," Bella teased Alice, and I was happy to see that she wasn't as uncomfortable as she was in the morning.

After eating at super speed, we were headed to the mall. The moment I saw the huge automatic doors of the mall, and the beaming that they caused on Alice's face, I internally groaned. I didn't hate shopping as many other males. I mean I didn't love it either, but I went shopping without grumbling and complaining when I needed something. However, with Alice, it was another story.

"First, we go all together and shop for Amie, and then you're going to hang out with Amie while I go and shop with Bella," Alice said, looking at me. "Is that okay for everyone?"

I nodded. I got to spend some alone time with Amie and that was beyond okay!

We headed towards the stores that sold child clothing, and before long I learned that Amie had the potential of becoming an Alice when she grew up. Everytime Alice showed her a dress or something equally girly, she beamed, with wide eyes. At the end of our tour, Alice convinced Bella to buy three dresses, two shirts and a bathrobe for Amie. While they did all of this, I stood at the corner of the store, feeling like an idiot the whole time. I wanted to be the one paying for these things, but I knew that if I made an attempt, Bella would kill me.

Exiting the store, Alice handed the bags to me and gave me and Bella a look. Bella seemed to understand what it was about, because she knelt in front of Amie and held her hands.

"Honey, we are going to wander a little bit more with Alice, but it is extremely tiring. Would you like to stay with Edward?"

Amie threw me a look from under her lashes innocently. I gave a confidant smile to her, but I was actually going crazy. I wanted her to say yes so badly. Fortunately, she didn't think too long and nodded her head. I did an internal happy dance while Bella and Alice kissed Amie and walked towards the other stores that Alice wanted to check out.

I stood up and looked at Amie a few seconds before it all came crashing down on me. I was alone with a four year old in a fucking mall, and I didn't know what to do. I mean I would go to a bookstore if I was alone, but I didn't know if Amie would like it. Since no other idea came to my mind, I grabbed Amie's hand and we made our way towards the bookstore.

Fifteen minutes later, we were actually having fun, looking at children's book. Well, Amie was having fun, but seeing her having fun was making me happy. So I had no complaints. She was so curious about the books, reminding me of Bella, and I mentally applauded myself for bringing her to a bookstore.

After a while, she started to become restless, and I understood that it was time for us to go find something else to do. She looked bored, but she was clutching a book on her chest and looking at everything but me.

"Do you want to buy that, sweetheart?" I asked, looking at the book which had a fluffy bunny on its cover.

"Yes, but momma isn't here," she said in a defeated tone that made me want to buy all the books for her in the children's section.

"Come on. I can buy it. I'm sure momma won't mind," I said, taking the book from her. I was sure that Bella would be upset, but the look on Amie's face was worth it. She gave me a blinding smile and hugged my leg. Laughing, I bent down and took her into my arms.

Buying the book, we wandered aimlessly a little bit until Amie saw Burger King and stopped dead in her tracks. To tell the truth, I was a little bit panicked. I didn't know if Bella allowed her to have fast food, but again I couldn't deny Amie.

"Wanna eat something?" I offered and she nodded. It was obvious from the look on her face that she would say yes anyway.

"Well, what do you want to eat, princess?" I asked playfully as we walked towards Burger King.

"Ice cream and french fries, please," she answered without thinking. She seemed a little bit shy when we first started hanging out together, but now she looked comfortable, and it really was a huge improvement.

We got her ice cream and chips and sat down a table. She immediately started munching on her french fries and flipping through her book at the same time, leaving grease stains on every page. Normally I would freak out being the neat freak I was, but it didn't even bother me. I found that surprising. She continued eating happily, swinging her legs and offering me one of her fries between every bite of hers. She was too cute to be real, and obviously I wasn't the only one who thought so, because two middle aged women were watching her with smiles on their faces. I smiled back them proudly and turned towards Amie, who was trying to reach the chocolate sundae.

"Are you done with the chips?" I asked, pointing at the half-eaten french fries and she nodded, grinning. I gave her the sundae and started eating the french fries, watching her eating sundae in amusement. She had chocolate on her lips and chin, and that made her look even cuter. Just as I was thinking how neatly she was eating for her age, she dropped a spoonful of sundae on her shirt and raised her head to look at me guiltly.

"Your mommy will kill me, Amie," I said and frantically searched for a napkin in my pockets since we had lready used the ones Burger King gave us. Finding nothing, I raised my gaze and looked into Amie's teary eyes.

"Shit! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. Are you mad at me?" I asked, stroking her cheeks with my thumbs and she shook her head no, causing me to sigh in relief.

"I don't want momma to be mad at you," she said, causing me to gape her. Did she really get teary eyed because of that? Of course, she didn't know that her momma was already mad at me for the things I made her go through, and a chocolate stain was nothing next to them. And she didn't need to know that, either.

"Oh, I'm sure she won't get mad, sweetheart," I said,kissing her cheek. She smiled widely and turned to her ice cream as if she did not have a huge stain on her. As I shook my head in amusement, my eyes caught the two women who were watching Amie before. I stood up and approached their table, keeping an eye on Amie at the same time.

"Excuse me? Do you have a napkin?"

The women turned to me smiling, and one of them gave me a napkin and a Kleenex. I thanked them profusely, and the younger of them replied, smiling.

"Your welcome. Your daughter is just so sweet. I wish my husband would take our kids out from time to time too."

Of course, she didn't know I hadn't even known I had a daughter until recently. And of course she didn't know it was all because of my asshole tendencies in the past.

I hastily thanked them again and returned to Amie who was lost in her own world. She really was a silent and easygoing child, and I knew that she got those traits from Bella. I wiped her face and shirt as well as I could, but the stain on her shirt was still visible. Sınce there was nothing else I could do about it, I just hoped that Bella wouldn't be mad at me.

Once she finished eating her ice cream, Amie pushed the book in front of me, her big eyes looking at me intently.

"Can you read it to me? I'm bored," she said and since I was putty in her hands, I said yes. She shocked me when she stood up from her chair and came to sat on my lap, but I wasn't complaining. Holding her in my lap, I read her the tale of a white fluffy bunny, changing my voice for every character. She listened very carefully and giggled from time to time. Damn, I loved bunnies!

"….and they lived happily ever after…" I finished reading and kissed her head.

"Thank you, Edward," she sighed contently and dropped her head onto my shoulder. I couldn't understand how I had managed to freak out when I first learned that Bella was pregnant five years ago. Sitting here with Amie right now and reading her stories was heaven, even if we were in the middle of a mall.

My phone beeped loudly, indicating that I had a message, and I grabbed it to see Alice's name flashing on the screen.

_Bella says she's tired. We're done for today. We're going to have dinner and then pick Jasper up. Meet us in fifteen minutes in the parking lot._

Dinner? I looked at my phone again and saw that it was nearly five o'clock. I didn't even know how the time passed, and I knew that it was because of Amie.

"Let's go meet your mommy and Alice," I said and grabbed her hand. Amie saw a toy store on our way and slowed her steps to take a look at the object that caught her attention. Since I was a sucker for her beautiful eyes, when we met with Alice and Bella, we were ten minutes late and I was clutching a stuffed Hello Kitty toy in the size of Amie to my chest.

"Edward Anthony Cullen? Do you realize-" The moment Alice saw me with that Hello Kitty in my arms and a smirking Amie next to me, she stopped yelling and started to laughing hysterically. I turned to look at Bella, and she was looking at us with a weird expression and wide eyes. Then all of a sudden, she started laughing too…

Well, at least she wasn't yelling at me…

* * *

**BPOV**

I was pretty sure that this was one of the most amusing sights ever. It even managed to make a fuming Alice cackle, so it really was amusing. Edward, holding a giant Hello Kitty to his chest and Amie standing next to him in a dirty shirt and grinning madly at Edward… At the beginning of the day, I didn't want to leave Amie with Edward. But Alice assured me that he could handle Amie, and it would be a good bonding time for them. Well, I didn't know about Edward handling Amie, but Amie sure seemed to have a good time.

"What is so funny?" Edward asked, putting the giant Hello Kitty in the backseat of his car. I found myself again checking out his cute ass, and I wanted to slap myself for that. Amie was following him, and it was cute. Not Edward's ass!

"Oh, nothing," Alice said, still snickering and Edward rolled his eyes. "These are all you got?" he asked, eyeing our bags and Alice nodded solemnly.

"Bella didn't let me buy anything at all," she grumbled and turned to look at Amie, who was showing a book to her.

Yep, it was the shortest shopping trip of Alice's existence and I told her to view it as a punishment. After all, she made me ride in the same car with Edward. Of course she apologised about that later, but what was done was done. I was so nervous this morning after that kiss that for a moment I thought I was going to cry in the car. Fortunately, my little angel chose that moment to ask Edward about his hair color,making me snort. Edward answered enthusiastically, not knowing what was in store for him. He spent a great deal of time answering Amie's color questions, and to tell the truth, he handled it like a pro. I knew I was about to go insane when she starting asking them as she started learning colors.

"Well, it's already five, so suck it up," I said, grinning and she huffed turning to her car. I refused to stay in a store more than thirty minutes, and I only let her go to the stores that she really needed to go to. She was a little bit dissappointed, but we managed to kill nearly five hours even like that.

Edward put all of our things in the back of his car under strict orders of Alice, and he didn't say anything at all. In the past, they bickered like cats and dogs, but now Edward was doing nearly everything Alice said without complaining. And I knew that he was enduring all of this only to be able to see Amie, and this fact made me feel warm all over and trust him a little more.

After Edward placed everything, and Alice nodded her head at the bags, pleased, we got into the cars to go to a restaurant to grab a quick dinner. The moment Edward started the car, Amie started talking about her day, making both Edward and me laugh at the same time. It was weird laughing with Edward at the things that Amie said, but it was nice too. She had both of her parents next to her, and that was all I wanted for her. Amie blushed and ducked her head when we laughed at her, apparently embarrassed, and I decided to save her from her embarrassment.

"So, did you have a nice day, baby?" I asked and she nodded eagerly.

"We bought this," she said, handing me a book. "We ate ice cream and chips, and Edward read to me. And then we bought Kitty!" she added, clapping her hands.

"Edward read to you?" I asked with a shaking voice, but I couldn't help it. When I was a kid and didn't know how to read, my dad used to read to me ,and it was one of the most amazing memories of my childhood. And I was so happy that my baby got to hear her dad read to her. Even if she didn't know he was her dad…

"Yes, it was funny," she giggled and Edward chuckled, making me sigh. _This could be my life, _I thought. Yes, if Edward hadn't left me, this could have been my life. And, it hurt to admit, but I had really wanted it. I had really ached for it, but he had been gone. Without a word… Just a stupid note and some money… I felt my anger rise inside me, and I took a few breaths to calm down. It was not the time to get all worked up.

"I'm glad you had fun," I told Amie, kissing her head and reminding myself that I was enduring all of this for her. All the pain, mood swings, everything was for her.

Since she ate chips and ice cream, Amie refused to eat at dinner and sat on her highchair looking around her with curious eyes. She always loved going out back in Seattle and watching the crowded city, but she didn't have so much of a chance to do that. First, we didn't have much time, and second we didn't have much money.

With each second that passed, Alice got more and more excited and stopped eating her salad, talking about Jasper instead.

"He's so cute with honey colored hair and grey eyes, Bella. Remember my dream guy that I used to tell you about when we were little? He's exactly my dream guy," she said dreamily and I nodded, taking a bite of my cheeseburger. She used to go hours and hours about her dream-perfect guy, and apparently Jasper was exactly him. I really was happy for her. At least one of us had her dream guy. Well, at least one of us had her dream guy and got to keep him with her, to be more specific. I had mine once, but he ran away when he learned I was carrying his baby.

I felt myself getting angry again and looked around for a distraction. I didn't want to meet Alice's fiancé while I was angry, but even taking deep breaths didn't work this time. I put my fork down on my plate harshly and folded my arms on my chest. Edward looked at me questioningly and I couldn't help myself, I rolled my eyes. As if he cared about what happened to me! He was here for Amie. He never cared about me in the past, and he didn't care about me now, either. My dream guy wasn't so dreamy after all.

After my little stunt, Edward stopped eating too, and we went to the airport. I was giving myself a pep talk about staying calm, but it was not working. I was freaking out at the same time. I really didn't know why, but I wanted to yell at Edward for leaving me. I wanted to hurt him so badly that he could understand the pain he had caused me. Maybe it was because of Alice and how happy she was with her dream guy, and I was not or maybe it was because I could not keep it bottled up inside me any longer, but I really wanted to hurt him…

We could have been together… I could have been happy…

The more I thought about it, the more agitated I became. By the time, we were in the airport I was beet red with anger, and Edward kept throwing worried glances at me. I really needed to get some fresh air, without seeing Edward, so the moment we entered the waiting area of the airport, I cornered Alice.

"I need to get some air. Can you watch Amie?"

She opened her mouth to say something, but I wasn't in the mood to listen. "Please?" I asked. She nodded, but it was obvious that she was worried.

I nearly ran outside and sat down on a bench, my head between my hands. I did not know why I was so affected by this, but the possibilities were killing me.

We could have been together…

Alice and me used to dream about our future together when we were little. My dream was always Edward… In my dreams, we would be happily married with kids, and he would kiss me whenever I felt bad. I thought I got my dream when he kissed me on my birthday, but then he ruined my dream without really making it real for me. We had a kid, but I was neither married nor happy. He kissed my cheek, but it didn't make me feel better. It made me feel even worse…

"Bella?" he asked, sounding really nervous. Great! He was the last person that I wanted to see right now.

"What,Edward?" I snapped without flinching.

"Did I do something today?"

Was he serious? Obviously, he was serious, because he continued.

"I mean you were fine in the morning, but you seem so upset now. Is it something I did?"

I felt bile rising in my throat, and I really tried to stay calm. It wasn't possible though. I felt like I should speak my mind and let him know. It didn't matter from now on. He could think whatever he wanted. I would let him know and hope that he would feel the pain I felt too. It was better than keeping it all locked up inside me and going crazy.

"No, you were the picture of perfection today, Edward," I replied. It was true. He was damn perfect with Amie, and I was really happy about it. What made me hurt was the possibilities… What if he hadn't left? What if we had raised Amie together? And what made me angry was the fact that I would never have even the faintest happiness that those possibilities could bring me… "Reading to her, buying her stuff. Perfect daddy," I said and couldn't help tears of frustration from rolling down my cheek.

"Bella, if this is about the things I bought, I swear it's nothing. I just wanted to buy her something. Make her happy," he uttered, sitting down next to me. Feeling his presence so close to mine made me all hot with a feeling other than anger, and I cursed myself. I cursed him for making me feel like this too.

"Buying her stuff isn't the way to make her happy, Edward. Permanently happy, at least. And don't worry, you already bought her stuff. Remember the money that you left me to get rid of her? I bought her a crib with that. How ironic is that?" I said and let out a bitter laugh between my tears.

I felt him stiffen next to me, and turned to look at him. His eyes were filled with pain, and he was gripping his legs so tightly that I was sure that he was hurting physically.

"Bella… I… I don't know how to make that better, but I'm trying. If I had a chance to change the past, I would do it in a heartbeat. I'm willing to do anything for her. For you…"

For me? He hadn't done anything for me other than upset me. He would just continue to upset me. His presence was enough to upset me. The feelings that he caused inside me…

"I don't need you to do anything for me,thanks. You did all you could after all," I said, sarcastically. "Now I want to go inside, and watch my best friend having her happily ever after."

I was feeling really smug that I managed to hurt him. But with each step I took towards Amie, the smugness was replaced with guilt. I had no idea what to do with Edward Cullen, and it was driving me insane.

* * *

Hi!

First, I want to thank my beta for fixing this chapter:)

Second, I want to thank everyone who reviewed and put my story into their favorites. It means a lot to me!:)

Please let me know what you think about this chapter...

Have a wonderful weekend!


	15. Chapter 15

**EPOV**

_Remember the money that you left me to get rid of her? I bought her a crib with that. How ironic is that?_

_You did all you could after all…_

Bella's words still rang in my ears even after she left me sitting on that bench and went inside. I had left her money… I fucking left her money! Five hundred dollars. I hadn't given a thought to the baby inside her, and I had just offered her money. Five hundred dollars for Amie, for the most precious thing in my life.

How was I going to make Amie forgive me? By buying her a giant Hello Kitty? Would she ever really forgive me after she learned what I did to her and her mother? Wouldn't she ask about the time I was absent from her life?

Would I ever be able to forgive myself? _No._

Would Bella? _Bullshit!_

Of course, Bella would never forgive me. She had every right not to forgive me. I was sure that everytime she looked at me she remembered how horrible I had been to her. What a disgusting coward I had been!

Today had been perfect so far. A day full of Amie couldn't be anything other than perfect. Perfect for me and maybe perfect for Amie, hopefully so, but not perfect for Bella. In the haste to spend as much time with Amie as I could, I didn't give so much thought to Bella's feelings. But I really should have… Being next to me was really hard for her, and these last few moments were evidence of that.

I wanted sit on that bench and maybe die there in my misery, but one glance at my watch told me that Jasper's plane was about to land. I went inside with shaky legs, dreading and wanting to face the wrath of Bella again. Every word she said was true, and I deserved every single thing she said and did, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt me. It hurt like hell.

I went inside and spotted Alice and Bella sitting and whispering to each other,probably to avoid Amie hearing what they were saying. Bella's face was still red, but at least she wasn't crying anymore.

"Edward," Amie said and jumped towards me as Alice sent me a look full of pity and empathy. I lifted Amie and sat down with her on my lap. She immediately put her head on my shoulder, and a few minutes later, she was fast asleep.

"She's asleep," I said, looking at Bella, who was looking at everything and everyone apart from me. I knew I was pushing my luck, but I couldn't help myself. The words left my mouth before I had a chance to think them over.

"Good," she responded icily, and I understood that we were done talking for tonight. Not that we talked too much anyway.

We sat there in silence until Alice's shrill yell made me jump in my seat. I looked at Amie to see that she was still sleeping. Thank God! Raising my head, I caught Bella staring at me with a weird expression, but the moment she saw me, she glared at me and turned to look at Alice, who was running towards somewhere in her freaking heels. My eyes followed Alice and I saw Jasper walking in a fast pace with a smile on his lips.

The second they reached each other, Jasper lifted Alice and gave her a kiss that made me thankful that Amie was still sleeping and wasn't witnessing this. Obviously not wanting to see my sister making out, I turned my head only to see a blushing Bella looking _longingly _at the scene playing in front of us. Before I could think about what the hell that meant, Alice came running to us, dragging a tired looking Jasper. She opened her mouth possibly to scream, but I pointed at Amie who was sleeping.

"Jasper's here!" Alice said in an overly happy but a quite voice.

"Yeah, we can see that," I muttered under my breath and Jasper chuckled. We met before, and he was a pretty decent guy.

"Hi, Edward," he said and then looked at Amie. "She's beautiful," he added, in a tone indicating that he knew that Amie was mine. Alice must have told him everything.

"Hello, Jasper. How-" I was going to ask him how he was, but Alice interrupted.

"Cut it. You can have your little chat later," she said smiling and turned to Bella who was still sitting silently and looking as if she wanted to dissappear.

"Jazz, this is Bella. My best friend and beautiful Amie's beautiful momma," Alice chirped and I added inside my head, _and Edward's love_

"It's so nice to finally meet you, Bella," Jasper said, offering his hand and Bella shook it, smiling genuinely.

"You're exactly what I pictured in my head when Alice described her dream guy when we were little. You're so lucky that you two have each other," she said with tears in her eyes, and Alice's eyes instantly filled with tears too. What the hell was happening? Okay, I knew that Bella was angry at me, but she was acting really weird towards Alice and Jasper. I had a nagging feeling that Bella was keeping something inside her.

"Yeah, I'm dreamy," Jasper joked, making Alice giggle and Bella smile. Alice was about to say something else, but Jasper cut her off with a kiss.

"As much as I want to hear your beautiful voice, I'm so tired. Can we go home?" he asked and I swear Alice melted on the spot. It would be so funny to see Alice around Jasper, because her normally stubborn self vanished in an instant.

"Okay, Jazz," she sighed and I forced myself not to roll my eyes. _This is your sister who helps you so much, _I reminded myself, and with that thing in my mind, I managed not to laugh or roll my eyes at Alice's overly cheerful self as we walked towards our cars. Holding Amie with one arm, I got my car key out of my pocket. Just as I was about to unlock the doors, I saw Bella glaring at my car and sighing. Not wanting to make her even more uncomfortable than she already was, I talked again without thinking.

"You can go with Alice if you want. I mean if you're uncomfortable. I can talk-"

"And Amie? Strap her to the roof? Alice's car has no room," she snapped and I looked at her with an open mouth for a few seconds.

"She can still come with me. She's sleeping anyway," I again suggested weakly, with the intention of making Bella feel more comfortable, but it didn't work.

"What if she wakes up and doesn't see me? I don't want her to think that her momma left her. One parent leaving is enough!"

Her words stabbed me… The pain was like nothingI had felt before, and believe me, I had felt pain for five years. The worst thing was I had nothing to say. I apologized a million times, and I knew that being sorry didn't change anything. We were suffering because of me, and she had the right to rub it all in my face even if hearing it fucking killed me. I stared at her with my mouth open for a few seconds, and then swallowed and turned back to opening the doors.

She didn't say anything again during our drive, and Amie continued to sleep. Alice and Jasper went directly to our parent's home since Jasper was tired, and I went into the town's center to drop off Bella and Amie. The moment I killed the engine in front of their small house, the door opened, revealing Charlie. He walked towards us and gathered a sleeping Amie in his arms without looking at me.

"I'm putting her to bed, Bells. Grab your things and come," he said and went inside of the house with my daughter. I didn't even have the chance to give her a goodnight kiss… Bella nodded and proceeded to gather the bags. Feeling awkward just standing there and doing nothing, I opened my big mouth again.

"Thank you for today, Bella. I know it's hard for you, but I re-" I couldn't finish, because she turned quickly, slapping me with her ponytail.

"You don't know anything! You got what you want as always. You don't care about me, so don't act like you do!" she hissed and started walking towards the house.

"Why do you think I don't care about you?Of course, I fucking care about you," I yelled, appalled, and immediately regretted. I was in front of the police chief's house. But the moment Bella turned to me again, any fear regarding Charlie vanished, because Bella looked as if she was ready to kill me.

"Do you leave the people you care about, Edward?" She took a step towards me and I saw that I had again made her cry. "I was going to act all nonchalant and wasn't going to say a thing. I was going to act like a big girl and suck it up, but I can't any more." She said in a heartbreakingly sad voice and took one more step. Tilting her head up, she looked at my face and I was able to see her eyes clearly. Her tear and pain filled eyes…

"Edward, why did you leave? Was the idea of having a child with me so repulsive to you? Did you just have to go? Didn't you ever think about me? At all?" she yelled and I felt her hot breath on my face. "Just tell me the truth," she whispered, trying to wipe the tears that were furiously running down her cheek.

"You were and are the only woman I have ever wanted to have a child with, Bella. I just thought it was the wrong time, and I was scared. So fucking scared." She asked me to tell the truth and I told her my fucking disgusting truth.

"You thought I wasn't scared? You know what, I was fucking scared too! I couldn't tell my dad for three months! If it weren't for Rose, I don't know how I would have dealt with all of this. She was with me every step of the way. She helped me to tell my dad, and to go to my appointments. Hell, she was even with me in the delivery room while I was pushing. These are the things that you were supposed to do," she sneered, pushing my chest roughly with her finger.

"I'm sorry," I said, and the moment I opened my mouth I started crying too, not being able to hold it in any more. "I'm so fucking sorry," I said, and tried to grab her hand, but she just slapped my hand and took a step back.

"Don't say that ever again!" she yelled. "Your being sorry doesn't matter to me! Your being sorry doesn't bring back the happiness I lost. I loved you so much, asshole! You were everything I wanted! I wanted to be your wife, have your babies and grow old with you! You were my dream guy… You said you loved me and then left. You ruined everything for me! You ruined us, Edward! Now you have Amie and Amie has you, and I'm so glad for that. But what about me? If you hadn't left… if you had just stayed…" she took a deep breath, gripping her hair. "The possiblities are killing me, Edward! I will never know what would have happened! I will never know how happy I could have been!"

All the things she said was true, and I had nothing to say back other than I was a miserable asshole. I just stayed silent, crying like a fucking baby while she looked at me in anger.

"Look, you don't even care. You say nothing. You don't ever think about the possilibilities? You didn't! The only option was leaving me, because you didn't love me!"

"No!" I screamed too, finally finding my voice. It was the only wrong thing she has said. "Believe me, everyday I think about what would've happened if I had just stayed. I think about how I fucking destroyed us everyday! And I loved you, believe me I did! Please, Bella! I still do…-"

"Shut up!" she yelled, slapping me across the face. The sharp sting I felt made me stop and look at Bella. "You called me two times! Alice emailed me constantly, and my… my… the person I loved just called me two fucking times! And then nothing! So don't tell me you loved me, or worse, love me! You don't even know me anymore! You don't even know your daughter!"

"What the hell is happening there?" Charlie ran towards us, a very concerned expression on his face, but Bella didn't look at him. She was still staring at me with her beautiful, teary eyes. "Bella?"

"I'm okay, Dad," she responded raspily.

"You don't look okay," Charlie answered, holding her arm and then turned to me. "You! Get the hell out of here!"

Since I respected him for even tolerating me when I knew that he actually wanted to kill me, I didn't want to test his limit. I didn't want to leave Bella like this, either.

"No! He is not leaving! He'll listen to me so that I can hurt him as much as he hurt me!" Saying that Bella crumbled into Charlie's arms and started to cry harder.

"Edward, go! Don't make me do something that might upset Amie!" Charlie growled and walked towards their house, carrying Bella in his arms. I just wanted to knock on their door, and say "Bella, do everything you want to do to me, just don't cry. Don't be upset." But Charlie looked serious, and I didn't want to scare Amie.

Since I was crying, my vision was blurry. I nearly hit a tree, but I made it home safe. I really wouldn't care if I died anyway. I grabbed the first vodka bottle I could find at home, and started to take large gulps.

_You were my dream guy!_

Was that the reason that she stared Alice and Jasper longingly and acted weird? Alice got hers, but Bella didn't. She didn't get him because of me! I literally ruined her life!

_If you hadn't left… if you just stayed… The possiblities are killing me, Edward!_

She had just wanted to be happy with me… With me! She had loved me! I had been her dream, and I had left her selfishly to follow my so called dreams. What had happened? I had screwed it up even worse. Being a good doctor didn't matter when you were this unhappy and this miserable.

If I had stayed… She could have moved in with me in Washington and continued school there if she wanted… We could have welcomed Amie together. I could have still gone to school, so nothing would have been different for me. Yet everything would have been different now. Instead of sitting on my living room floor, drinking and crying alone, I would be in the same home with Bella, holding her and making love to her now…

Suddenly my father's silhouette appeared in front of me, and I narrowed my eyes thinking that I was hallucinating. Not that I drank that much.

"Edward, give me this," he said, taking the vodka bottle from my hands, and I gaped at him like an idiot. He really was here.

"Alice said you had a little argument with Bella, and I called to check on you three times. When you didn't answer, I decided to come here. Well, _we _came," he said and my mom walked into the room. Seeing her made me feel even worse, and I tried to reach the vodka bottle, but Dad was faster than me.

"No, you're not drinking, Edward!"

But it was the only way I could sleep. I needed it. I needed to be numb so that I wouldn't feel anything anymore. Welcoming the pain was hurting so much.

"Please, Dad," I tried, but it was in vain. He gave the bottle to my mom, and she went to kitchen with it, probably to pour it down the drain.

"You don't need that. Takl to me if you want," he said and sat down next to me.

"I ruined her dream, my dream… I screwed everything up. She is in so much pain because of me. She says she is all alone. Being with me was the only thing she wanted. She… she just wanted a life… with me, and I had fucking left!" I yelled. I didn't even know I was hitting myself in the head until Dad pried my hands away.

"I love her, Dad. So much," I admitted and took a deep breath. "When Jasper came and Alice kissed him, you should have seen the expression on Bella's face. She looked at them with longing. Alice got her childhood dream; Bella, well, she just didn't."

Between my crying and pouring my heart out to Dad, I didn't notice that Mom slid next to me. I turned and looked at her, and she reached towards my face. I expected her to slap me again since I deserved it so fucking much, but she started stroking my face and wiping my tears. I didn't know how long we sat there, Mom stroking my face while I told them everything, but somehow I must have fallen asleep. When I opened my eyes again, it was ten o'clock in the morning, and I was in my bed. I couldn't even remember how I got there. I got out of bed and went to kitchen to find something to ease my headache, but my mom's post it on the fridge caught my eye.

_Good morning! Don't worry we didn't carry you to your bed. You were about to fall asleep on the floor, and your dad helped you walk to your room. Take a painkiller and eat something, please. Your dad says you don't have to go to work today. Love, Mom._

I gaped at her note for a few seconds, but then my headache became unbearable and I moved on to find a painkiller. She seemed to hate my guts just a week ago, but now she was acting the opposite. Okay, she never hated me, but she was angry, but now? Maybe it was about being a parent. Yeah, it definitely was. _No matter how angry I will be, I could never stand to watch Amie cry_, I thought.

A pill and a boring breakfast later, I was feeling fairly well, so I decided to not listen to Dad and go to the clinic. When I got into the car, my eyes caught the giant Hello Kitty that was still sitting on the back seat, so I decided I should drop it to Amie before going to work. Stopping in front of a flower shop, I got two bouquets of wild flowers. One for Bella and one for Amie. I wanted to write a note for Bella, and drove the florist crazy by standing there for thirty minutes and trying to write a damn note. But eventually, I managed to write something good, and I paid him with a huge tip, making him smile.

Ten minutes later, I was in front of Bella's house. I thought about knocking on the door and giving them myself, but I opted for dropping them in front of their door. Looking at their house one last time, I got into the car and drove towards the clinic.

* * *

**BPOV**

The sunlight peeking through the curtains was irritating me to death. I had a terrible headache. I just wanted to sleep a few more hours, but the sunlight and Amie's laughter coming from downstairs was making it impossible. I groaned and ducked my head under the pillow, hoping that I could sleep.

I didn't know what had gotten into me last night, but I knew that I had never cried and screamed that much. I must have horrified Edward, but I couldn't find it in me to care. Everyone was perfectly happy yesterday, apart from me… Amie was with her dad even if she didn't know it yet. Alice was bursting with happiness. I was the only one who was feeling awkward and alone, and I couldn't restrain myself from lashing onto Edward.

When I walked back into the waiting area, crying, Alice immediately noticed, but didn't say anything about that, which I was thankful for. When Amie's attention was somewhere else, she asked me what happened, and I just said that Edward and I had a misunderstanding. I didn't want to make her sad too when she was about to see her fiancé.

I gave myself a pep talk, and I was feeling better when Edward walked in. Of course Amie just ran into his arms and fell asleep. As I said before, I was the only miserable one. The moment Alice shrieked and ran into Jasper's arms, all the pep talk just lost its effect. The way Jasper looked at Alice, and the way they kissed just made me even madder. All my life I was going to watch people with their loved ones, and I would never have someone special because Edward ruined the feeling for me. I knew that I simply wouldn't love anyone, and I wouldn't have what Alice had. Never…

This led me to a night full of crying and screaming, but Edward asked for it. I mean, he could see that I was not in the mood, but he just tried to talk to me. Okay, okay, I was a bitch, but I simply couldn't hide it in me any longer. I just needed him to know the extent of what he did, and it wouldn't be bad if he suffered a bit in the process.

And I managed to hurt him. The way he looked at me when I poured my heart out was proof. He looked so heartbroken, and if it were five years ago, I would have done everything in my power to make him happy. That was not the case anymore though.

_Believe me, everyday I think about what would've happened if I had just stayed. I think about how I fucking destroyed us everyday! And I loved you, believe me I did! Please, Bella! I still do…_

Did he really think about us? Had he given us any thought when we were apart? Did he still love me? All those questions were in my head, but I knew the answers. The answer to every question was no. He didn't love me and he hadn't loved me back then… Maybe he had liked me enough to be my boyfriend, but no he hadn't loved me. If he had loved me, he wouldn't have let me down. And believing that he still loved me was ridiculous. Amie was the only one he should love.

I wanted to stay outside and scream at him for a long time, but I was now glad that Dad came and carried me inside. The pounding on my head and the burning in my throat hurt like a bitch, and my eyes were literally aching. I continued to cry even after he carried me inside, and my poor dad didn't know what to do. He again suggested killing Edward, but that made me cry even harder. Amie liked him so much, and I… well once I had loved him.

"Knock knock!" Amie's giggle sounded outside of the room, and I rolled my eyes. Rose taught her that 'knock knock' thing from _Family Guy_, and it was annoying when two people in the same home did it continously.

"Who's there?" I answered, yawning and Amie again giggled.

"Your daughter, Amie, and she's always gonna be there for you," she shrieked while she opened the door and jumped on the bed.

"I'm glad you're so cheerful, but why?" I asked, kissing her cheek and sitting up. There was no way I could sleep anymore.

"I've got flowers and Kitty. And you got flowers, too. Edward gave them to us," she said, grinning madly.

Edward? Was he here? What the hell was he doing here after I screamed so much at him last night?

"How do you know they're from Edward? Is he here?" I asked, praying that she would say no. I didn't want to see his face for a few days, maybe a week. I was still angry and bitter, but I didn't want to scream or fight anymore. I was tired as hell, and I just wanted to sleep.

"No. Grandpa says they're from Edward," she said and my dad walked into room holding Hello Kitty with one arm and two bouquets of flowers in his hands.

"How are you feeling, Bella? You slept good," he said, eyeing me carefully and I laughed. I was sure I made him freak out as well last night.

"I'm good, Dad. Thanks."

"Okay then. These are from… Edward," he said and dropped the things on my bed. "Sue is coming over for lunch. Is that okay?" he asked awkwardly, making me smile.

"Of course," I said in an overly cheerful tone to make him happy and it worked. He was grinning from ear to ear when he left the room.

I looked at the colorful wild flower bouquets and smiled involuntarily. He had always given me wildflowers, and I just loved them. I brought the flowers to my nose and took a deep breath and Amie did the same with hers smiling hugely. I was glad that Edward got Amie one because she loved that kind of thing. A white paper laying in the flowers caught my eye and I picked it up nervously. The last time he wrote me a note, he left me, but now it wasn't about me. It was about Amie. He wouldn't do that, right?

_Bella, _

_I know nothing can change the past… the pain I caused you. You don't want me to say it, but I'm sorry. If I had a chance to go back, I would do everything differently. Please believe me. _

_And don't think that I didn't hurt and feel the pain. I felt it everyday. I didn't call you because I just thought that you wanted nothing to do with me, and I was right. But never once think that I didn't love you and I didn't think about you. I won't ask for your forgiveness because I know what I did was unforgivable._

_I know it means nothing to you now, but I still love you. Give Amie a kiss from me._

_Edward._

His note, which looked like a short letter, made me tear up again, but my eyes were already puffy and hurting, so I took large breaths to make the crying go away. After doing this a few times, I heard Amie's giggling and turned to look at her.

"What?"

"You look funny. Like a fish," she giggled more. I rolled my eyes and put Edward's note in the nightstand's drawer. Out of sight,out of mind right? He already said the same things yesterday. If he thought that I would believe them when he sent flowers, he was really wrong. He was hot, cute and probably the only man I could ever love, but I didn't trust him the slightest bit.

Feeling tired and sleepy,I lay back again and Amie immediately started protesting.

"Go downstairs and find a vase with your grandpa to put these flowers in," I said and she jumped st the idea. I closed my eyes, but the home got so noisy all of a sudden, and someone knocked on the door again.

"What, Amie?" I groaned, but it was not Amie. It was Sue.

"Hi, Sue. How are you?" I asked, feeling somewhat ashamed that I snapped at her.

"I'm good, but from what I've heard from Charlie, you had spent a tough night," she said in sympathy. She knew that Amie was Edward's, but she never said anything about that to me.

"Yeah, but I'm good now," I lied. Big time. I spent half of the night tossing and turning and my head was about to explode.

"You don't seem good. Anyway, I'm visiting a friend of mine. Actually you know her. Angela Cheney?" she asked and I nodded. Angela was one of the nicest ladies in the town. "Well, she has two kids. Riley and Emma. Amie already played with Emma a few times, and I could take Amie with me if that's okay with you."

The offer was so appealing. Amie loved Sue and Sue said Amie already knew Emma.

"I don't want to bother you," I finally said, and she rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Bother me? I love your girl. She's no bother to me. I'm taking her, okay? Sleep," She said and left the room not waiting for my answer. I smiled and snuggled into the covers.

I didn't know how many hours passed, but I woke up with a banging sound coming from downstairs along with frantic voices. Disoriented from sleeping, I got out of bed and went downstairs only to see Sue and Dad arguing furiously. My eyes wandered around the room and I found Amie sitting on the couch and crying silently. Shit! This was bad. It was bad when she cried silently. It didn' mean that she wanted something. She cried like that only when she was really upset. I went to the couch and lifted her into my arms. She immediately snuggled into me and released a shaky breath.

"Sue, what happened?" I asked, and she turned to me with sorrowful eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. She was playing with Riley and Emma. But then their dad came in, and she started crying," she said, and my heart jumped in my throat. I had a really good idea what happened. She saw that small people had fathers too… Putting my head on hers, I whispered.

"Honey, why are you crying? Please tell me. Or else I'm going to cry, too." Okay, maybe I was playing dirty, but I wanted her to tell me. I needed to hear it from her.

"Emma and Riley have a dad. I have a dad too. Riley says so. I don't want to wait until I get bigger, Mommy. Can't I have my dad now? Like Emma and Riley," she said, and that did it for me.

It was not her fault that Amie thought that only big people had fathers. It was not her fault that she spent the first four years of her life without a father. Yet, she was the one who was crying, and it was time to put an end to it. I was not going to watch her suffer.

"Yes, you can have your dad, honey," I whispered and she raised her head, looking at me hopefully.

"Really?" she asked, wiping her face with her small hands and I nodded.

"Really. Let's call him," I said and her face lit up instantly. Kissing her wet cheek, I started to walk upstairs. When we were in our bedroom, I grabbed the phone and called Edward without giving it a second thought.

* * *

Hi! First, thank you for reading... Also I want to thank everyone who reviewed last chapter! You made me smile:)

And, a huge "THANK YOU" to my beta for fixing this.

So, what do you think? Please let me know:)

Have a nice day!


	16. Chapter 16

**EPOV**

Coming inside the double doors of the clinic, I walked as quietly as possible, hoping that my dad or anyone else would not see me. I just wanted to go to my office and do some reading. I didn't have that terrible headache anymore, but I wasn't feeling good either. I didn't want to deal with anyone.

"Edward." I sighed and turned around, facing my dad who was looking at me in sympathy. "I thought you weren't coming today."

"I couldn't stay at home and do nothing. I have some reading to do," I told him and hoped that he wouldn't tell me to go home. I really needed something to keep me occupied, and all of my stupid medical books were here.

"Okay, son," he said, smiling and patting my shoulder.

I nodded and continued to walk towards my room, feeling glad that he didn't say anything about last night. As much as I wasn't embarrassed about crying, I didn't feel proud either. I was a mess last night, and if it wasn't for my parents, I would have been worse. We didn't need to talk about it though.

I spent nearly two hours flipping through a large dusty medical book that I had borrowed from Dad, but I couldn't remember even a word I read after closing it. My mind was on Bella. Did she like the flowers? What did she think about the note? Was she feeling any better? These questions turned my normally very studious and serious doctor self into a teenager. A while later, I found myself fiddling through my phone and looking at Bella and Amie's photo that I had taken yesterday.

Realising that I was getting nowhere with this reading thing, I decided to go back home and try to sleep a little more. I didn't think I could actually manage to sleep, but it was worth trying. I took a last glance at the photo on my phone, and it rang loudly, shocking me.

Bella…

Bella was calling me!

All of a sudden, my mind was filled with the worst possible things that could happen. Did something happen to Amie? Were they okay? I felt it in my bones that it was not a normal phone call. Why would Bella call me anyway? To chat? I really didn't think so. Dreading the answers, but wanting to know them so much at the same time, I hurriedly answered the phone.

"Bella? Something happened?" I asked without even thinking and cringed immediately. I should have said hello first, but being the dumbass I was I just blurted out the first thing that came to my mind. I took a deep, calming breath, waiting for her answer, but all I heard was her breathing.

"Bella," I said again, and this time she answered.

"Hi. Um… nothing happened, but you just need to come here… really quickly," she said, causing my heart to accelarate and my mouth to drop open.

I needed to go there? Why? I was sure that something happened, or was about to happen, and she wasn't telling me? Why would she call me after last night anyway? There was no sensible reason I could think of other than something bad happening.

"Bella, what? Umm, okay, but you sure everything's alright?" I asked again, and waited for her to scream at my stupid question, but she didn't. She always surprised me.

"Everything's good. Just come, please," she said and the line went dead.

My shaky hands reached for my car keys as I struggled to stand up. I was still trying to find a reason, but the things that I could think of were all bad. Something happened to Amie or Bella, or she was done with the drama and moving to somewhere else. These were the only things on my mind as I walked towards my car, and I was freaking out.

I drove like a maniac to Bella's house, forcing my mind to stay silent at the same time. It was hard though. Even listening to music didn't calm me down, and I turned off the radio, swearing. Ten minutes later, I was in front of Bella's house, sitting in the car and not finding the courage to go inside.

Somehow I got out of car and found myself knocking on the Swan's door. I heard footsteps and then some loud voices. These only fueled my anxiety, and I was sweating at this point. Before I had a chance to freak out or bolt, Bella opened the door, giving me a sympathetic smile. Why was she smiling? I knew something was wrong!

"Hi," she said and looked at my face. My eyes darted around the hall and her face, and I was sure I looked like a lunatic. "Why don't you come inside?" she offered, gesturing inside.

Oh, God, she was really leaving! I would finally understand the pain I caused her… There was no explanation as to why she was so calm and composed after last night. Nevertheless, I nodded and walked behind her, passing a fuming Charlie on the way.

"You're one lucky bastard. You're again getting what you want," he whispered, glaring at me, making me even more confused. Why was I lucky? Where was the luck in any of this? I didn't want to be apart from Bella and Amie. It was a huge mistake that I had thought I had wanted it years ago.

"Dad, just go, and apologize to Sue," Bella spat and Charlie ducked his head and walked outside. What the hell was happening?

Bella continued to walk towards living room, and I followed her, feeling really out of place. It had been a long time since I had last been in this house, but it was still the same. Small, but homey.

As soon as we entered the living room, Amie jumped towards me, grinning at the same time. Seeing her happy made me feel a little bit better, and I lifted her to hold her in my arms, breathing her beautiful scent.

"Edward! I'm going to meet my dad! Mom called him," she said happily, looking into my eyes, and I froze on my spot. I tried to open my mouth and say something, but nothing came out. I just looked at her face, gaping, and she finally got bored and wriggled out of my arms. I put her on the ground, still in shock and looked at Bella.

"She… she-" I managed to say and stopped again, not knowing what to say. Did she really say that? Bella called me for this? Were we finally telling Amie? She wasn't leaving and we were telling Amie. I felt relief and joy rush all over me, but I was beyond nervous at the same time. All of it was too much to handle, and I felt light headed for a moment.

"Edward, why don't you sit down?" Bella said, looking concerned and I nodded mutely sitting down. "Amie, please go get a bottle of water for Edward, okay?" she asked Amie, and Amie was running towards the kitchen in an instant.

"Are you okay? You look pale," Bella asked and I nodded again. It was all too much. I didn't even know if this was real.

"I have to tell her now. I'm going to tell you what happened soon, but we just have to do this now. Is this okay for you?" I again nodded and she looked thoughtful for a second.

"Why are you freaking out so much? Don't you not want to tell her?" she asked and surprisingly I found my voice. Her thinking that I didn't want Amie was the last thing I wanted.

"No, I want to. I'm just nervous. What if she doesn't want me? And I… I was actually afraid that you were leaving or something. I thought something bad happened when you called," I whispered, without looking at her.

"We're good. I told you. I just didn't want to tell you on the phone. She was sitting next to me. I want you to be present when we tell her."

We were really telling Amie. I wanted to get up and hug Bella. I wanted to shout my thanks to her. I wanted to beg and beg her until she forgave me. I wanted to cry so much, but laugh at the same time… God, how I wanted to be the man Bella deserved right now. After everything, even after yesterday, she was still giving me what I wanted. She was giving me Amie; she was making me a real father. I tried to find the words to express my gratitude, but Amie walked into the room, flushed and a bottle of water in her small hands.

"It's cold. You should drink it slowly," Amie said while giving it to me, and I choked out a laugh. I was about to die from my nerves, and she managed to make me laugh even in this situation. She was too cute. She looked at me innocently as if asking why I was laughing, and I just got the bottle and took a small sip.

"Thanks, Amie," I said as she snuggled into her mom, beaming.

I looked at Bella and found her looking at me too. How were we going to say this? Who would? What would we say when she asked where I was all these years? My head was exploding with questions, and I realised I was breathing heavily and holding the bottle too tightly in my hands, crushing it.

"Calm down," Bella mouthed over Amie's head, who was looking at me intently. I tried to calm down myself, but nothing was working. Amie wouldn't want me. I was sure of that. Who would want an asshole of a father who had left them anyway? I shouldn't even be here. They were too good for me, and I was just a jerk.

"Edward," Bella whispered, and I turned to meet her concerned gaze. She was looking at me with wide eyes and biting her lip. God, how could I have left this angel? She continued to look at me, stroking Amie's hair, and I found myself calming down a little. The sight of them sitting next to each other in a loving embrace made me calmer.

"My dad will come?" Amie asked all of a sudden, and I was nervous and anxious again. She was waiting for her father. She wasn't even aware that she was sitting in the same room with him. And I was the only reason that-

I was getting all worked up again, but Bella's voice got my attention. "Should I?" she asked in a trembling voice, and I knew what she was talking about. And I nodded, knowing that I would make an ass out of myself if I tried to tell Amie that I was her dad right now. I was barely able to breathe, and my hands were still shaking. It would be better if Bella told her.

"Amie, honey," she said, causing Amie to look at her and me take a deep breath. This was it. She was going to tell her. A part of me was deliriously happy and wanted to scoop up Amie in my arms, but the other part was nervous, thinking that she would not want me or she would be dissappointed that I was her father. The talk which would come after the confession was another thing to be nervous about. She would hate me! Bella stopped talking and was looking at me. Obviously impatient, Amie put her small hand to Bella's cheek to get her attention.

"Yes, sorry," Bella cleared her throat. "You wanted your dad to come, and I called him," she said and Amie nodded excitedly. "Well, he came. He's here, honey. Edward's your dad," Bella said in one breath and my heart started to beat even faster in my chest. I looked at Amie's face, and saw her frowning. God, she didn't want me… Feeling my eyes fill with tears, I grasped the edge of the couch, because I felt like I was falling apart.

"No, he's Edward," Amie said determinedly, and my heart broke with her words. _Did you really think she would come and hug you, and start calling you daddy _shouted the cruel side of me. Well,I didn't think that, but I had hoped.

"Yes honey, he's Edward, but he's your dad," I heard Bella say, and I tried to focus on them. Amie turned to look at me with her wide and beautiful eyes at that moment, and I fell apart.

"Amie," I choked and she frowned, looking sad. Was she sad because I was her dad? Maybe even she knew she deserved better.

"He doesn't want to be my dad?" she asked and I sucked in deep breath. What was she talking about? I wanted her more than anything now. I was not that stupid and selfish Edward anymore.

"Why do you say that?" Bella asked, still stroking her hair.

"He's crying. He's sad," Amie answered, still frowning at me. I didn't even realize that I was crying, not being able to get a hold of my stupid emotions which were all over the place recently. And she got the wrong idea.

"Remember I told you people cry from happiness sometimes? I'm sure he's crying because he's happy. Right, Edward?" Bella again saved the situation, and I nodded. Amie was looking at me curiously, and I knew that I had to say something. Bella did more than she should and I deserve, and it was the time to be a man.

"I'm not sad. I am extremely happy that I'm your dad," I confessed truthfully, and her eyes widened. "Are you… are you happy… that I'm your dad?" I asked. It was the most important question I asked, and I was dying to hear the words that would come out of her lips. She stayed silent for a few seconds, and Bella whispered something into her ear. Amie nodded and stood up. She walked towards me and climbed my lap, shocking the hell out of me. I wrapped my arms around her, trying not to cry, but it was really hard.

"You're my dad," she said with a determined tone and I nodded mutely, feeling really stupid. Here my four year old kid was handling the situation better than me while I was a slobbering mess.

"My eyes look like yours," she said, observing my face, and I again nodded. I was screaming inside to tell her something, just a word, but I was afraid I would say something wrong and ruin everything. Bella handled it perfectly, and after today I owed her more than I could ever repay.

"Are you really my dad?" she asked again, obviously frustrated with my silence.

"Yes," my voice was hoarse and I cleared my throat. "Yes, I am…And I love you so much, and I'm not sad… And yes your eyes look like mine, but yours are even more beautiful," I said, kissing her cheek repeatedly in between every sentence, and she let out a giggle.

"I'm glad you're my daddy, Edward," she whispered, putting her head onto my shoulder and I felt a happiness and joy like I had never felt before. She was glad… _Wait, until she knows the truth,_ a nagging voice inside me whispered, but I ignored it. This moment was perfect, and I didn't want to spoil it. I just wanted to cherish my daughter. I kissed her head and held her hand which was resting on my chest, looking at Bella at the same time. She had a huge smile on her face which made me automatically smile too.

"Thank you," I simply said, and she nodded, blushing. What I wouldn't give to have her next to me now…

"Are you my mommy's husband?" Amie asked all of a sudden, making me stiffen. I was sure the questions were about to come, yet I didn't have a fucking idea what to say. How could you tell a four year old that her newly acquired dad was the biggest jerk ever without making her hate the said dad?

"Why are you asking that, Amie?" Bella was even redder, but she had authority in her voice that I lacked. She was pro at dealing with Amie, and I had a lot of things to learn.

"Riley says his daddy is his mommy's husband," she answered, looking confused and cute at the same time. Who the hell was Riley and why was he telling this stuff to my girl? I was confused as hell too.

"No, he's not my husband,"Bella said in a nonchalant tone, but after last night, it was easy for me to see the hurt in her eyes. She had wanted me to be her husband… "We used to be boyfriend and girlfriend."

I wondered if Amie could understand what all of this meant, but the moment she opened her mouth, she shocked me again. "Like Barbie and Ken?" she said, and Bella nodded, a smile flirting on her lips. As much as I hated Barbie and especially Ken, I was glad that Amie understood, but she still looked thoughtful.

"Why didn't you see me before? Riley says his father was with him when he was little," This sentence made me gulp, and I felt a ridicilous desire to find that Riley guy and have a talk with him. What kind of things were those little ones talking about?

_Answer this, Cullen,_ the sadistic, nagging voice in my head said, and I gulped again, having no idea. Amie's innocent eyes were looking at me, waiting for an answer. An answer that I was fucking ashamed of…

"I… umm… well… I was an as-"

"He didn't know I had you," Bella said suddenly, throwing a warning glance to me. Was I really about to say asshole while I was with my 4 year old daughter? I guess I was, but I was so damn nervous. I dreaded this moment with all my being, and it was here for me to face it right now. "We broke up, and he didn't know. We lost each other's numbers, but we found each other again here. So, that's it," Bella said.

What the hell she was doing? While she was supposed to throw me to the lions, she was again saving my sorry ass. I opened my mouth, but she beat me to it. "Drop it," she whispered. Not having any other choice, I nodded and stayed silent. She gestured to Amie with her head, and I turned to look at Amie only to find her pouting with tears in her eyes.

"What is it?" I asked, my voice cracking too. I couldn't help it. She really had me.

"You didn't see me when I was little," she whispered, and Bella bolted out of the room as soon as she said that. Of course it was too much for her. While I practically ruined everything she had ever dreamed of having, she was again helping me here, ignoring her own issues. She was really selfless, but I guess she finally cracked. Not knowing what to say to Amie, but not wanting to stay silent, I opened my mouth and said the stupidest thing ever.

"You're still little," I offered, and she smiled a little bit.

"No, when I was a baby," she sighed.

"He can look at your baby albums, baby," Bella said in an affectionate tone as she entered the room again with two thick albums in her hands. Was today even real? The things happening around me all felt surreal, yet extremely wonderful. As Charlie said, I was a lucky bastard. The anticipation of seeing Amie as a baby made me feel impatient, and I found myself leaning towards Bella, who was giving the albums to Amie.

"Ooh, gimme!" Amie giggled in delight and reached towards the albums. Bella handled them to Amie carefully, and Amie tried to place them on her small lap, but couldn't.

"Ooh, gimme!" Bella mimicked Amie's voice, and Amie pouted slightly while giving the albums back. Seeing them happy like that made my heart swell with happiness and shame. They would have been even happier. Instead of looking at these albums, I could have been in these photos with them.

I didn't have too much time to mull it over, because Bella sat next to me, and feeling her body so close caused my inner monologue to stop. I could even feel her body heat since Amie ordered her to sit closer to us so that she could see the photos clearly. Her arm and leg were rushing against mine, making me crazy. I tried to compose myself and looked at the albums. The first album was pink and fluffy, and it was obvious that Bella didn't buy it.

"Rose bought it for me when I was still pregnant," she said, confirming my thoughts. She flipped open the cover, and my eyes landed on a photo that made me hate myself even more than before.

Bella was smiling, and lifting her shirt, showing her small baby bump_. 4 months _was written in italics under the picture. She looked so beautiful, so innocent, so perfect… She was filled with my child while I was doing God knows what. I wanted to look at it longer, but Bella flipped the page and another picture showing her pregnant was in front of my eyes. She was showing the bump to the camera in the same fashion, but this time the bump was a little bigger.

"Rose insisted that we should take a photo each month. I looked ridiculous," she muttered and tried to skip the pages that showed her pregnant. Without thinking, I grabbed her hand, stopping her, and her eyes immediately snapped to my face.

"You look beautiful. Would you mind if I look at the rest?" I asked, fearing that it was all too much for her, and she would again yell at me. She simply nodded and turned back to the picture showing her six months pregnant. With each passing month, her bump got bigger, and it was obvious that she had had a lot of swelling.

"Did you have a difficult pregnancy?" I asked, looking at the photo that showed her nine months along.

"No. I mean, just some swelling, but otherwise it was good," she said quickly and blushed. I immediately felt really bad. Of course her pregnancy wasn't easy considering the amount of pain I put her through.

"I was in there!" Amie's voice made both of us smile. She was smiling and pointing to Bella's full belly in the photo.

"Yes, you were," Bella said, kissing her nose. This movement caused her to press herself slightly to me, and for a moment I felt her soft breast on my arm. Knowing very well that it was not the time and the place to feel such things, I scolded myself and tried to give my attention to the pictures. But my arm was still tingling…

Next page had a picture of a very tired looking Bella with a newborn Amie in her arms in a hospital bed. Amie's eyes were closed, and her face was scrunched up, but she was the cutest thing ever. The pain and hatred I felt when I looked at that photo was the proof that I would never forgive myself.

"When is her birthday?" I asked, feeling ashamed that I didn't even know my daughter's birthday.

"April 25th"

April 25th. The day was one of the most important days in my life, but I didn't even remember what I was doing on that day. I was probably on campus, studying and being an asshole to everyone around me.

I knew I had missed a lot, and I knew there was no way to recapture that time. The photos were the ultimate proof of that. The reality hurt too much, way too much. But having my daughter in my arms, and looking at her baby photos that showed her at every stage filled me with happiness and hope. Maybe everything would just be okay from now on. Maybe I wouldn't screw up…

April 25th. I had missed four birthdays, but I wasn't going to miss another one…

* * *

**BPOV**

_Calm down, Bella! Calm down! __Your boob touched his arm, so what?_ I screamed inside me, but it was in vain. I was not calm. I was nowhere near calm. I was nervous… I had been nervous ever since I had called Edward. And now, I was frustrated too. What was with that man and his touch anyway? Whenever we accidentally touched, my body went into flames.

We were sitting on the couch looking at the photo album, and thanks to my sneaky daughter Amie, I was practically on Edward's lap. Not that it would be bad to be on his lap… Oh God, I needed serious help… We had serious matters at hand, and I was thinking about his lap…

When Amie asked me if she could have her dad now, I couldn't think of a reason not to call Edward. A second later I ended the call, I was hyperventilating though. I knew deep down inside me that seeing him today after last night was a terrible idea, but it was too late to change anything. I called Edward, and Amie was bursting with excitement.

The way Edward looked changed everything dramatically for me though. The moment I opened the door, I saw his extremely pale and nervous face. I expected him to be happy, even smug that he got to see Amie, but he simply looked terrified.

I learned soon that he feared that I was leaving… He feared that we were leaving… I knew it was absurd, but that changed everything. He looked genuinely upset and scared. I could see it in his eyes. He was upset because he thought he was going to lose Amie again… When he understood that was not the case and that we were actually going to tell Amie the truth, sadness vanished from his eyes, but he still looked nervous. He was afraid that Amie wouldn't want him… He was afraid that Amie would be disappointed. He didn't know how much Amie was craving a father.

Given the scream fest that I caused last night, it was expected from me to stay distant and let him suffer. But I simply couldn't. He looked so lost, so sad that I found myself helping him. And this was for Amie too… I didn't want her to remember her first time meeting her dad as the day of her parent's epic fight or her dad's freaking out. So I took the responsibility of telling Amie. Nervous or not, at least I didn't look like I was about to pass out.

Amie didn't react as I expected. I thought that she would scream for joy and run to Edward's arms, but she looked like as if she didn't believe me.

"No, he's Edward," she said, and Edward's expression became even more agitated. Understanding that it would take a little bit of time and talking to make Amie accustomed to the idea of Edward being her dad, I started explaining to her that Edward was her dad.

I didn't know where I got that power from, but somehow I managed to handle the situation. Both of them were afraid that the other one didn't want the other. I whispered Amie's ear that Edward was her father, and he loved her so much. Edward's expression was priceless when Amie climbed his lap. He looked so happy, yet so scared. Scared that he might upset Amie… He proved himself that he really really cared for Amie today, and that was the only important thing. Amie didn't need to know why he left us or what that leaving caused me as long as Edward made her happy. Amie didn't need more drama…

Seeing them together was the most wonderful thing ever… My baby finally had her daddy, and it was obvious that she was glad. I had pictured this moment in my head so many times, and it had always made me cry tears of frustration and sorrow. But now I didn't feel like crying. I was done with crying. All I could feel was joy and a little bit of a satisfaction. I had endured all of the pain for Amie, and now was the time to sit back and enjoy her happiness.

But now that I was sitting pressed to him, and his thigh touching mine, all sense flew out of window. Between all the drama and nervousness, I was shocked that my inner pervert that Rose had awakened could still resurface. Maybe I really needed to see a doctor or something. One day I was angry at him , and the next day I was sorry for him, helping and lusting after him. This couldn't be good. Oh, Edward was a doctor, right?

Shaking my head to get rid of my irritating thoughts, I focused on Amie's cheerful voice.

"I was two years old. Rose dressed me up, but Mom got angry," she was telling Edward the story that Rose and I had told her as if she remembered it. I couldn't help but laugh, and Edward immediately turned to look at me, causing my insides to go crazy once again. Cursing myself, I gave all my attention to the photos, and tried to ignore Edward's presence next to mine. It was a hard thing to do.

When we finished looking at the albums, I was about to cry with relief. I immediately jumped from couch and went to my room to put the albums back on the shelf. When I went back downstairs, Amie was still talking and Edward was listening to her with an amused smile on his lips. God, he was hot…

"What the hell? Get yourself together," I muttered to myself as I approached them. I sat down on a different couch and watched them for a while. Seeing them together like this made me believe once again that it was worth all the pain that moving back to Forks caused me.

"I'm hungry," Amie declared a little bit later, and Edward threw me an apologetic glance.

"I should probably get going. I don't want to impose anymore," he said, but Amie clung to his neck like her life depended on it.

"Nooo…" she whined, and it was easy to see that Edward was torn. He didn't want to leave Amie, but he didn't want to upset me either. Since we spent practically half of the day together, I thought it wouldn't hurt to have him here for another hour.

"You can stay," I offered, and his eyes grew comically. I knew in that instant that we needed to talk. I mean, since he looked genuinely grateful and upset today, I helped him by not being a bitch, but that didn't mean I forgave him or anything. Forgiving him, really forgiving him for leaving me, was another thing that I wasn't sure I was capable of doing.

"I mean, it would be nice if you had dinner with your daughter, right? I can prepare something really quickly," I said, and he sent me a smile that always managed to melt me before. Not wanting to feel its effect, I quickly turned on my heels and headed to the kitchen.

"I want pizza, Mommy."

"We don't have pizza at home," I responded to Amie's pleading voice, while I was washing my hands. I heard footsteps approaching and turned to look at Edward, who was carrying Amie. We would look like the picture of perfection to someone who looked at us from the outside. Mom, preparing dinner, and Dad, holding their kid and keeping his wife company… Not wanting to cause bitchy Bella to make an appearance, I quickly pushed the thoughts away.

"We… we can order out," Edward said,looking at me, but it sounded like a question. I knew he was still afraid of my reaction, and he had every right to be, considering my mood swings. Even I was afraid of myself.

"Can't we go out to get pizza?" Amie asked, obviously wanting to get some fresh air. She loved the outdoors so much, and she really liked it here in Forks.

Knowing that she would push more if I said no, I nodded. Apparently,Edward was waiting for me to throw a tantrum because he looked extremely surprised when I nodded. He let go of Amie and we went upstairs to change.

I was still a little bit angry, a little bit nervous, anxious… My emotions were all over the place, but Edward proved to me today that he really cared about Amie… I saw his insecure side which caused him to think that he wasn't enough. And I found myself not finding him as irritating as I did the day before.

Maybe, I was really going insane…

* * *

Hi!

First of all, I want to thank everyone who reviewed last chapter. I had a horrible week, and your reviews kept me smiling:) They mean a lot to me!

And, I want to thank to my beta for fixing this and for dealing with me:)

Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think.

Have a good weekend!


	17. Chapter 17

**BPOV**

"I don't want to wear that one! No, not the pink one!"

"We're just going out for pizza. I don't understand why it matters if you wear the pink one instead of the blue," I snapped at Amie who was sitting on the bed, looking close to crying. Fake crying, though…

"I want to look pretty," she mumbled, her eyes wide and innocent, and there was no one she couldn't take down with this expression.

"Okay, Amie. Choose what you want, but hurry up," I said and watched, grimacing as she happily threw everything out of her closet to reach that stupid light blue frilly top. It was as cute as hell, but she could wear something else just for this evening.

Ten minutes later, we were both ready, but our room looked messier than ever. I hated being messy, and Rose always said it was because I was a Virgo. I really didn't know. Maybe… Oh God, I had bigger problems, such as, Edward, who was waiting downstairs right now, and here I was thinking about the zodiac signs and messiness.

Amie grinned from ear to ear when we saw Edward sitting in the living room. No doubt hearing our loud footsteps, he immediately stood up, still looking nervous as hell. I just wanted to tell him to stop fidgeting already since I had no plans to scream at him today, but watching him squirm was too much fun to pass up.

"You ready?" he asked, looking at me from head to toe and causing my stupid heart to leap faintly. I chose to ignore it though.

"Yes! I'm wearing the top Rose bought me. Look." Amie declared, dropping my hand and Edward's eyes lit instantly as if she was sharing the most precious information in the world with him.

"You look gorgeous, Amie," he said, grinning and Amie ducked her head, smiling. She loved getting compliments even if she was not so good at receiving them. She was so shy normally.

"Which place do you want to go?" Edward asked as I was helping Amie into her favorite white cardigan. It really didn't matter where we went. Not that Forks had so many places. As far as I knew, there were three diners that served pizza, and it would be awkward whichever one we chose.

"It doesn't matter," I said, opening the door and feeling the cold weather on my face. The weather was not as hot as it had been during the daytime, so I was glad that Amie had her cardigan on her.

"Would it be okay if we went to Emmett's place?" Edward asked again, playing with his hands, and I supressed a smile. I had done so much for him today already, and I wasn't going to try to calm him down on the top of it.

I nodded, and he nodded too looking at me. We stood, looking at each other for a few seconds until Amie tugged my arm.

"Why are you standing here? I want pizza."

Without saying a world, Edward lifted Amie and put her in her car seat. Buckling her up, he held the door open for me, knowing that there was no way I would sit in the passenger seat. Five minutes later, we were in front of Emmett's cafe, and it was really crowded.

I didn't think about it until that second, but people would see us together. I mean, people saw Amie before and knew that Chief Swan had a granddaughter. They probably also guessed that Edward was the father, but no one had seen us together before. So no one had said a word about us. But now they would actually see us together. They would talk and talk… We would be the fresh material for the stories they would be making up.

"Umm, we're here, Bella," Edward said quickly, averting his eyes from me and looking more nervous than ever.

"Okay, you can do this for Amie," I muttered to myself, but of course he heard me.

"We could just grab a pizza if it's too much for you. I mean, I don't even have to eat with you," he said, but I could see the longing in his eyes when he watched Amie who was looking at the cafe with rapt interest. Amie wanted to eat with him, so we were eating together. That was as simple as that. It wasn't Edward's presence that made me nervous now anyway.

"It's not you. It's just people will see. They will make up stories. We'll be the talk of the town," I whispered so that Amie couldn't hear.

"I'm sorry. If they need anything to talk about, we can always tell the truth. They can talk about me. You… you did nothing wrong. I'm the one who deserves the town's gossip," he said and I snorted. Tell them the truth, yep! Then watch as our lives turn into a soap opera, no thanks… The real life drama was enough now, I didn't need more.

"They will talk about me too. It's too late. Grin and bear it," I said tersely and ignored the sad and uneasy expression on his face. Nothing he could do would make the past dissappear. He was just Amie's dad to me, and I was enduring all of these things so that Amie could remember the day she met her dad happily. Even if he would go and tell the whole town everything was his fault, they would still talk about me too. Even worse, they would pity me. So the best thing was to let them make up what they wanted.

Emmett's cafe was probably the biggest in the town. It had a modern feeling to it, and the music pretty good. I had never expected him to go to college, but I had never expected him to own a business either.

"Hey!" Emmett said when he saw us and looked around eagerly. "Is Rosie with you?"

"Rosie?" I snorted too loudly for my liking. Rosie, really? "She would kill you in your sleep if she knew you called her Rosie."

I mean Carlisle was one of the most intelligent men in the planet, but his sons could be morons from time to time. If Emmett expected Rose to show up in his cafe and be all lovey dovey with him after he grabbed her breast, he was really funny and pathetic.

"And she's in Seattle," I said and watched as his face fell. He really needed a different approach other than boob grabbing if he wanted Rose. Composing his expression, but failing at it miserably, Emmett turned his attention to Amie, who was looking at him and clinging to Edward. It was a little bit funny that she was intimidated by Emmett.

"Cutie, how are you?" Emmett asked, flashing his dimples and Amie smiled too. Instead of answering, she just hid her face in Edward's neck. Nonetheless, it was progress.

"She's so cute, Bella. Thank God, she took after her mom." Emmett was looking at Edward teasingly when he said this, but Edward just smiled goofily in return, making Emmett frown.

"Are you high? You're smirking like you never have before, and you're kind of red. And what are you doing together?" Emmett asked, observing Edward's face. Edward laughed nervously, taking a glance at me. It was actually such an ego boost to know that I could make him so nervous, and to be honest, I kind of liked it.

"No, Em, I'm not high. Now, can you please arrange a table for us?" Edward said, and Emmett rolled his eyes.

"Of course, Sir Eddie!"

Emmett lead us to a small table for four people and left us alone to decide what we wanted. Amie looked around a little bit and then decided that her highchair was too far away from the table. The second she said that, Edward was on his feet, pulling her chair towards the table. It was so cute watching him around her, but a part of me couldn't help but feel bitter. It was the same part that felt joy from his nervousness, and I was not sure if that part would ever vanish.

"I want pepperoni," Amie declared and Edward nodded dutifully. It was really fun to watch them like that.

"A small one?" Edward asked, looking at me. His eyes looked really dark green under the lights and I forgot what the hell he was talking about for a minute.

"For Amie? It's too much for her. I can share a regular size with her," I said, but Amie wasn't happy with that. Really, one would think that I let her starve all her life.

"But, I'm hungry!" she whined, looking at Edward. She already knew how to play with him, and I kind of felt sorry for Edward. Kind of. Not too much…

"Umm, how about we get two regulars and a small one?" he asked, and it was obvious that a part of him was afraid that I would freak out over pizza.

"Okay," I simply said, and looked around only to see a few familiar faces looking at me. One of them was a bit more familiar than the others. Jessica Stanley… Not wanting to give her the idea that I wanted to talk, I averted my gaze, but it was too late. She was already walking towards our table with a creepy grin on her face.

"Bella!" she screamed and caused a few more people to look at our table.

"Hi, Jessica," I said morosely, but she was still grinning as if she saw her long lost sister. We weren't exactly friends.

"How are you doing? I heard you moved back, and I was planning to visit you," she said, and I barely resisted rolling my eyes. Visit me, my ass! I knew that she wouldn't have even talked to me if Edward wasn't with me.

"Yeah, I moved back. I'm good." I was purposely being short, yet she was still grinning.

"Oh, is that your daughter? So cute! And look, she has her daddy's eyes!" Jessica exclaimed, making Amie cringe faintly. Edward immediately held Amie's hand, glaring at Jessica. She must have seen the murderous glare in my eyes, but she continued digging for gossip anyway.

"Oh, did I say something wrong? Isn't Edward the father?"

I really wanted to launch at her and throw a good punch. I knew the purpose of these questions. She was trying to get information, trying to make us confirm the information, to be more specific, so that she could parade around the town spreading it. I was about to open my mouth and say a few colorful words, but Edward beat me to it.

"I'm her dad, and she's hungry. Now if you'll excuse us, we will decide what we want to eat." His voice was smooth and friendly, but his eyes were fierce, scary and protective at the same time. Jessica seemed taken aback but continued talking nonetheless.

"Okay, I'm leaving you alone. But I'm really glad to see you outside of the clinic, doing something. You work too hard. We should do something together sometime too," she said, giggling and walked away to her table.

"What the hell does that mean?" I blurt out without thinking, and immediately slapped my mouth. I mean, she could say all she wanted to Edward. It was none of my business. Yet, I still felt something heavy on my chest and I hated it so much. Edward was gaping like a fish, opening and closing his mouth, and I really wanted to punch him too. How the hell could Jessica talk to him like that? They hadn't even known each other while we had been dating? So, he had gotten closer to her when I was away, taking care of our kid, huh?

"Bella-" he finally opened his mouth, but I stopped him this time.

"You know what? I don't want to hear it. I don't care. She's pretty. Be happy," I said harshly, staring at the stupid menu. I didn't even know why I was acting this immature. I had no reason to act like that. He was not mine. I didn't love him. He could do what he wanted and whom he wanted. Yet, my chest was aching so bad. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, hoping that it would fade away.

"Bella, I swear I don't know what she's talking about. She asked me out a few times before, and I said no. That's it," he pleaded with a shaky voice. I wanted this night to be drama free for Amie, but she was sitting here, watching us. Taking another breath, I looked at Edward and forced a smile for Amie's sake.

"As I said, it doesn't matter, Edward. Now, let's order. I'm hungry, too," I said, tickling Amie, and she started giggling.

"But, I really don't-"

"I want pepperoni, too," I cut off Edward and he sighed loudly. I really didn't want to hear what he would say. Even if he hadn't dated Jessica, he still had had a life while I had been suffering. Maybe Rose was right. I really should start all over with someone new, but I simply couldn't. I didn't believe that there was anyone out there for me. Judging from the expression on my face that there was nothing left to say, Edward turned his attention to where Emmett was standing, and Emmett came over to our table after a few seconds, smirking deviously.

"I see that young Jessica Stanley finally managed to have a decent conversation with you, huh?"

The moment he said this, Edward's face got incredibly red. "Cut it short, Emmett," he mumbled, but Emmett, being the way he was, didn't listen.

"You wouldn't give her the time of the day, and she finally got to talk to you normally after pining after you for quite some time. Cut the girl some slack." Emmett was snickering again, and Edward looked like he was about to throw up. My mind went somewhere else though. _She pined after Edward? Edward refused her? _Edward already said that, but… I really needed to know what happened, but I was too damn proud to ask. And he could do what he wanted to do… But I just needed to know what that sneak Jessica did in my absence. We soon gave our orders and Emmett left. Amie, obviously frustrated that she was being ignored, turned to Edward, and Edward's nervous gaze instantly turned softer. Mushy…

"Emmett is your brother?" she asked, and not knowing what else Riley told her, I mentally prayed that she wouldn't ask for a brother or a sister.

"Yes, he is. And Alice is my sister," Edward replied, leaning towards her. She seemed thoughtful for a minute, but then nodded, and I sighed in relief.

"I love Alice," she said happily and Edward cracked a smile that made me want to kill him on his spot. He didn't have a right to smile that beautifully when I was freaking out.

"She loves you too, Amie," Edward replied, causing Amie to smile eagerly.

Amie continued asking stupid questions to Edward throughout our dinner, and he continued answering them as if they were the most important things. By the time our dinner ended, Edward looked calmer and Amie was grinning from ear to ear. I was sure that the huge chocolate sundae that Edward ordered for her had an effect on her.

We left the cafe, Amie holding both of our hands. Before long we were outside of my home, and it was time to say goodbye, but Amie wasn't relenting.

"Can't he stay with us? Please, Momma!" she begged, looking at me with large tearful eyes. I couldn't stand her look and turned my gaze to Edward only to see the same green, large, tearful eyes. They were killing me. I didn't want Amie to be away from her dad, but I wasn't going to have Edward for a sleepover either. I really needed to talk with Edward to make some arrangements.

"No, honey. He has his own house. He needs to go. You'll see him again soon, okay?" I asked, but she only clung to Edward more. Great, now we had a daddy's little girl!

"Amie, I really need to go. But I promise I'll come back as soon as I can,okay?" Edward asked, and I nearly melted at his tone. He didn't look nervous at all, and his tone was so soft and full of love. _He used to talk you like that too_, a small voice whispered inside my head. Shaking my head to clear those stupid thoughts, I focused back on Amie, who still looked on the verge of tears.

"When?" she asked, and a tear rolled down her cheeks simultaneously, breaking my heart.

"Tomorrow, baby," I said, again without thinking, but I couldn't stand to watch her cry. It was obvious that she really was hurting, and I would do everything in my power to make her smile again.

"Really?" she asked me, and then turned to look at Edward, who really looked close to crying himself too. Seeing such a grown up man under the effect of a tiny four year old should seem funny, but it was the most adorable thing to me.

"Yes, I'll come over tomorrow. I promise, baby," he told her, kissing her head and a huge smile appeared on Amie's face.

"Okay," she said happily and wriggled out of Edward's arms.

"See you tomorrow, baby," Edward said, putting her on her feet and she smiled angelically at him with a glint in her eyes.

"See you tomorrow, Daddy."

* * *

**EPOV**

She called me daddy…

She called me daddy!

I felt like my face was going to break from the shit eating grin, but who could blame me? She called me daddy. It was the best thing that anyone had ever called me. I was her daddy… I was the daddy of the most precious and most beautiful little girl.

"Amie, let's get you inside," Bella said, and I saw that she was smiling too. That sight made me even more joyful, but I also felt confused. I really didn't know how to act around her,and as a result, the dinner was extremely awkward. Stupid Jessica fucking Stanley added fuel to it too.

Amie nodded and waved to me while Bella was helping her climb the porch stairs. Taking a last glance at my girls, I was about to go back into the car, but Bella came towards me, running. Supressing the primal instinct to grab her and hold her in my arms, I tried to ignore the nervousness that was again starting to build.

"Hey! Umm… Can you call me before you come here tomorrow? I think we need to talk. Without Amie… You can see her after the talk, okay?" she asked and I nodded, admiring the determined look in her eyes. She really was the strongest woman ever.

"Okay. When do you want me to come?" I asked and mentally applauded myself for thinking this. I didn't want to come at an inappropriate time and disturb her peace any more than I already had.

"I'll be home by 4 o'clock. You can come anytime after then. Goodnight," she said and ran towards the house all too soon. I was again alone, and it felt weird not to have them with me after a day spent with them. There wasn't a single thing I wouldn't give to have Bella and Amie in my home by my side, but I knew that even wishing this was impossible.

The dinner was perfect, and if it wasn't for stupid Jessica, it would have been even more perfect. Never in my life had I wanted to strangle a girl that much. She disturbed me by following me like a sick puppy during the time she worked in our clinic as a nurse. She either really didn't know the definition of no, or she just didn't care. Either way she drove me insane. She shamelessly flirted with me when she thought there was nobody around. However, the building had cameras everywhere, and she wasn't aware that she had caused Dad and Emmett to laugh on more than one occasion.

But the nerve of her today! She knew that I had dated Bella and she also knew that Amie was mine. So what kind of a person comes and says what she did? As if we were buddies or something! And I really didn't get Bella's reaction. When she first asked me what the hell that was, I felt a tiny hope that maybe she was jealous or something. But then she said it didn't matter, and it was obvious that she was only thinking of Amie. Of course, no little girl needed to see their dad being hit on by sleazy woman.

Of course I knew Jessica's other intention too. She was one of the biggest gossipers in the town, so I was sure that our little dinner was going to be everyone's enjoyment for a few weeks. I just hoped that the stories wouldn't go too overboard. I really didn't want Bella to suffer more than she already had. I really was ready to exclaim the whole truth to the town and direct all of their curiosity and wrath to me, but as Bella mentioned, there was no way that she wouldn't feel the effects of that too. So the only thing I could do was hope that they wouldn't make Bella and Amie uncomfortable.

The moment I entered my home, I flipped my phone open and called Dad like a giddy girl. I just wanted to share it with someone and he was always there to listen.

"Dad, Amie knows," I said as soon as he answered.

"Hello to you, too. Knows what?"

"That I'm her dad. She called me daddy. She said she was glad I was her dad." The words rushed out of my mouth, and I jumped on the sofa, grinning madly entire time. I really was acting like a teenage girl who just gotten back from her first date.

"Wow, that's wonderful news," he said and sounded genuiney happy. "But how did this happen? I mean, last night-"

I cut him off. "Yes, last night I was a mess. But Bella called me today, and she said we had to tell Amie. I don't know the reason, but I guess she'll tell me tomorrow."

"How's she handling it? I mean, Bella. From what I've understand, Amie is okay with it," he said chuckling, but even the mention of Amie couldn't hinder the uneasniess that Bella's name brought.

"I don't know. Bella was really great today, but I don't really know how to act around her. I just don't want to upset her by doing something stupid. It's so complicated. And Jessica the skank hit on me in front of Bella," I said in one breath and Dad stayed silent for a few seconds then laughed.

"I guess Alice isn't the only bubbly one in the family, huh?" he teased, but I wasn't in the mood to get back to his teasing. "It must be really hard on Bella, but I'm not surprised that she's handling it well. I'm sure that she'll do everything for the little one. Don't do something reckless, Edward. I know you still love her, but it's not the time if you intend to do something about it. You need to wait."

"I know she'll never forgive me, Dad. I know that doing something will only upset her more. I don't want that," I muttered and we talked for a while about Amie. He gave me some pointers about having a daughter.

After saying goodbye, I went to my room to catch some much needed sleep since I had to go to work really early in the morning, but my dad's words kept playing in my head.

_I know you still love her, but it's not the time if you intend to do something about it. You need to wait._

I needed to wait to do something? Was there a possiblity that she would forgive me? One side of me was laughing bitterly for even considering this as an option, but the other side of me hoped for it pathetically. But giving up without a fight would be good? I mean what if she really would forgive me? Even the possibility of this made me more full of hope and made me want to fight for it. However, it was highly possible that I would hurt her more in the process, and I really didn't want to screw up. She didn't need more pain. God, this was complicated!

Next morning, I woke up with a headache, and I wasn't surprised in the least. Doing my morning routines, I drove to work and started to wait for the end of the day to come. Bella said anytime after four, so I decided to go at 5 o'clock. I would spend some time with Amie, and then leave without imposing on their dinner and family time. Bella had always made sure that she had dinner with her dad every evening, and I was sure that it was still something she did. Little things like that caused me to miss her and our relationship even more…

I worked inside of my office all day, avoiding Jessica at all costs. Dad came by a few times to invite me out for coffee, but I simply declined. The silence of my office and the photo of Amie and Bella that I printed out in the morning were keeping me good company. I didn't need anything else.

By the time it was nearly five, I nearly ran to the parking lot. Dad knew I was going to leave early, so I didn't need to see him to ask permission. Five minutes later, I was in front of Bella's house and I pulled my phone out of my pocket to call her. Instead of answering, she declined the call, and I felt the familiar dread and guilt wash over me. She didn't want to talk to me… But wasn't she the one who wanted to talk? I was so ecstastic yesterday that I didn't even think that the talk would be something bad?

Before I had a chance to call her again, the front door opened and Bella came out of the house. I attempted to get out of car, but she mentioned to me to stay with her hands, and I nodded dumbly, staying in the car.

"Hi," she said, opening the door and sitting in passenger seat. Seeing her sitting in my passenger seat was a sight that I really missed, so I just gawked at her instead of answering.

"Edward?" she said, rolling her eyes and I came to my senses. She was here to talk, not to make out with me like she used to do five years ago.

"Hi," I managed to say, wishing for a miracle that would make her want me again.

"Amie is so happy," she said, a smile illuminating her perfect face and this caused me to crack one too. "She is waiting for you, so I won't talk long." I nodded again, and wondered why I seemed to lose my abililty to form a sentence every time she was this close to me.

"It's obvious that she wants to spend time with you,and I'm not going to take it from her. You can stop by for a few minutes everyday after work if you want. But not for too long, because I don't think Charlie will appreciate it. And you can spend a whole day with her on Saturday or Sunday. She loves spending time with you, so I don't think it will be a problem. I don't think she's ready for sleepovers though."

"Weekends… umm won't you be with us while we spend time together?" I asked, wondering if it would only be Amie and I. I would love it if that was the case, but I desperately wanted to spend time with Bella too.

"No, I won't be. You know it gets awkward, and I don't want anyone in the town to get the idea that we are together or something," she said and grinned half heartedly. "And I don't want to upset Jessica," she added and I understood the reason for that grin.

"I swear she's nuts. She doesn't get the meaning of no. I swear there's nothing between us. She's just a nurse in the clinic. There has been no one in my life after you."

She continued to listen to my plea with the same small grin until I said the last sentence. The grin vanished and again I saw longing and sadness in her eyes. Maybe she longed for me too. Maybe my dad was right and I just needed to give her some time. Just maybe…

"Okay, whatever. I mean, not that I care, but if you're going to be dating her, Amie will have to see her sometimes too, and I… well… umm… Jessica isn't a great girl," she mumbled, blushing to an extreme red, and I couldn't help but smile. I had a strong feeling that it wasn't just about Amie. She acted like a mama bear when she did something for the sake of Amie, and she did not stutter and blush.

"I'm not dating her, and I don't have any intentions of doing so. You don't have to worry about Amie," I said and she nodded, with wide eyes which were unable to hide their relief.

"Yeah, I was just worried about her. I'm sure she just wants you to herself," she said and got out of the car quickly.

Getting out of the car, I followed Bella to their home, a permanent smile on my face. I was sure. I would slowly but surely fight for her, gain her trust and show her that I was not the same Edward who had left her. I wasn't sure if she would forgive me, but I was sure that she was worth trying.

"Won't Charlie be upset?" I asked her when she opened the front door of the house.

"No. He's at work. Sue is here," she answered and Amie saw me at the same time.

"You're here!" She jumped and ran to me, leaving the middle aged woman that she was coloring with sitting on the carpet.

"Of course, I'm here, angel. I promised," I said and lifted her to give her a smacking kiss on the cheek and to breathe her sweet scent in. She always smelled really good, like Bella.

"I need to go now, Bella," the woman said and left the living room, giving me a small smile. Bella followed her to the hall, and my eyes followed her perfect ass as it swayed. Amie's gentle tugging brought me out of my ogling, and I felt ashamed for checking out Bella while Amie was with me.

"Color with me?" she asked, smiling, and of course I immediately agreed. We sat on the carpet together, and Bella walked in a few minutes later.

"Edward," she said, and hearing my name coming from her lips again made my heart beat faster than usual. "I have some papers to grade. Would you mind if I did that? I mean, would you mind taking care of Amie? I really don't have much time," she said, sounding tired, and I cursed myself again for everything. That was my fault that she was that tired and busy at the age of only 23.

"I don't mind. Not at all," I said, and she left the room, giving me a smile.

I continued coloring with Amie, and the sound of her sweet voice, telling me everything about her, was like a song to me. I listened to her and laughed at her sweetness and naivete rom time to time. She really was an angel, extremely innocent, and I was determined that I wouldn't let this angel down anymore.

Raising my head, I saw Bella, sitting on a couch with papers in her hands, and the scene made me smile. We were sitting in the same room, doing our things and it was the most wonderful thing in the world. The urge to fight for her forgiveness and trust came back full force, and I made an internal vow that I would do anything I had to.

Because being in the same room with them during the evening of a weekday and hearing Amie's laughter and Bella's small snickers would be worth it.

* * *

Hi!

I want to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter! You guys are awesome:) And I want to thank my beta for fixing this. Thanks a lot!:)

Please let me know what you think about this chapter:)

ps. I'm not going to continue Stranger because I lost my muse, and it lost its appeal. However, I'm writing a new story which is called 'Ideal Husband' and I'm going to post the first chapter in a few days. Maybe you'll want to check it:)

Have a nice weekend!


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

**BPOV**

I really didn't mean to question Edward about Jessica like that, but it seemed like my mouth had a mind of its own. I genuinely disliked Jessica and thinking that she was pining after Edward made me so mad. She was the same year as us in high school and annoyed Alice to no end by asking questions about Edward and Emmett. The fact that Emmett was neary seven years older than her didn't deter her. She was such a slut, and I had every right to not want her near my daughter and Edward. Edward was my daughter's father after all.

Edward again managed to make me extremely confused and frustrated. _There has been no one in my life after you… _I didn't know why and feared to know why, but the second he said this my heart nearly jumped into my throat. Had he been alone all these years? The possibilty had never occured to me, but when he said this to me today, I felt an immense relief. I knew it was stupid. I knew we would never be together again. I also knew that I would only hurt myself more if I got together with him again. Yet, I felt the relief. _Aren't you hurting now?_ a small voice inside me asked. No. There was no pain like the pain he had put me through five years of ago, and I was not going to expose myself to it once again.

When I came back from work today, I found Amie sitting in front of the window and watching the road with an impatient expression. The optimistic part of me thought that she was waiting for me, but I knew better. She was waiting for her daddy. I was feeling a little bit of jealous to tell the truth. All she talked about was Edward from the moment we came back from the restaurant, and as cute as it was, it was getting annoying.

Of course the moment Edward came inside, she jumped into his arms, making Edward grin stupidly. Supressing the jealousy and the urge to roll my eyes, I said goodbye to Sue. I was so happy that the Riley crisis didn't spoil her relationship with my dad. Dad acted really immature at first, but then he came to his senses and apologized. I couldn't think of a better woman than Sue for my dad.

Using the opportunity that Amie was occupied with coloring, I started grading some papers in the kitchen. I sat on a stool that enabled me see the two of them clearly, and it nearly made me cry. It was such a beautiful scene. My little girl sitting on the carpet with her father and coloring… Instead of being angry and bitter towards Edward, I found myself smiling at Amie's cheerful voice, telling Edward nearly everything about herself. Even the stains that Amie made with her dirty hands on the carpet didn't make me angry.

After a while I got bored with students' ramblings about true love and Juliet, so I decided to give a call to Rose. Recently, I hadn't had a decent phone conversation with Rose for fear that Amie would hear. Now Amie was too busy with her dad to care. I started climbing stairs, but Amie of course saw this.

"Where are you going? Come here," she said, looking at me with wide eyes, and I really thought that she was doing this on purpose. Looking all innocent wouldn't work for her now though. She had her daddy with her, and I really needed to talk to my best friend.

"Bathroom," I said, using the first thing that came into my mind, and she nodded.

Climbing the stairs quickly, I grabbed my phone from my room and went into the bathroom just in case. Rose answered on the first ring, and I was glad that she was not keeping it on silent like she usually did.

"You remember me?" she asked, but I could hear the amusement in her voice.

"Rose, I miss you so much. Sorry, I couldn't call, but you won't believe what happened," I said.

"I would have known if you had called, but whatever. Tell me," she demanded and I laughed at her bossy tone. I started telling her how I freaked out in Port Angeles and screamed at Edward in front of my house, and finished with telling how Amie learned Edward was her dad. She listened to me without interrupting, which was really shocking.

"So, that's all," I said and jumped when she screamed.

"That's all? You had a soap opera going on there. How did Amie take it? How is she?" she asked, worry evident in her voice, and I smiled. She loved Amie as if she was her own kid, and did everything for her.

"She looks very happy, Rose. Always smiling," I said, again smiling like an idiot. "She's coloring with Edward downstairs."

"What?" Rose's voice again made me jump. "He's there? I guess Amie and Edward aren't the only ones getting closer," she said, and I blushed.

"No, Rose. I just want them to spend time together. I… umm… I don't care about him like that… anymore. You know this," I stuttered and Rose stayed silent for a few seconds.

"Rose. Are you there?"

"Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking how messed up this situation is,"she answered.

"Yes, and he says he still loves me," I said, and slapped my mouth.

"Do you believe him?" Rose said, apparently not finding my statement weird.

"I don't know. He's really great with Amie, and I trust him with her. But I guess I don't trust him, other than that."

"I have a feeling that it's going to get even more messed up," Rose said, and I wanted to scream in frustration.

"Why would it? There's no reason it should. Amie has her dad. End of the story," I said, irritated.

"Oh, honey, did you hear yourself when you said he still loves you. I heard joy and relief in your voice," she said bluntly, and I wanted to hang up the phone. I knew better of course. She had a habit of being honest, and it was always for my own benefit.

"How can you understand that all from Seattle?" I asked and continued without giving her a chance to say anything back. "How are you doing anyway? I really miss you."

"Nice save. But I really think you should face your emotions before it's too late. You should really think about what you want, Bella. You can't live alone with Amie for the rest of your life," she said and I felt a tear rolling down my cheek.

"I know, I know. I just… it hurts to make plans about future. I'm so scared,Rose. You're right. I should think and decide what I want. But it won't be with Edward. It can't be… He hurt me too much," I said and wiped my cheeks.

"Yes, he hurt you so much, but maybe he's the only one who can heal you. I've known you for five years, and you were never even remotely interested in another guy. You should let go of it, honey. I'm not saying go forgive Edward. I'm just saying that with or without Edward, you really should let go of it."

I knew she meant well, but I couldn't even imagine being with someone else. Imagining being with Edward… Well, it hurt too much.

"Okay, enough with the serious stuff. I met the hottest man last week," she said, and I smied at her tone.

"Emmett will be really upset," I teased.

"Well, I'm sorry, but Emmett is nothing compared to this guy. But unfortunately, he's not into me," she said, causing me to gape.

"Why? Is he married or something?" I asked. There were some boys who rejected Rose because they were in a relationship, but other than those she got whomever she wanted.

"No, I wish he was. This is much worse. He moved in our building recently, but I only met him in elevator last week. Oh, Bella, he's so hot! Long, built and pale… He has dark brown hair, and dark brown eyes, and his lips…" she sighed and I giggled more.

"So, Rose? Did you jump him in elevator?" I asked, actually fearing that she did.

"No. I just flirted a little and he was really sweet. His name is Matt, by the way. Anyway, I decided to visit him the other day, because I was dying to know more about him, and well, I was horny. I went to his apartment. We drank wine and had a nice chat, and then all of a sudden, he started looking at my boobs. So, I just straddled his legs and kissed him," she told me as if she was explaining an extremely boring and ordinary thing, and I choked out a laugh.

"I don't know what to say, Rose," I said, thinking that this was the whole story, but she continued.

"You know what he did? He pushed me away. He. Pushed. Me. Away! He then admitted he was gay and only looking at my boobs because he was trying to estimate my size to give me a lingerie set as a friendship gift. He is a designer for a lingerie brand. Do you get how embarrassing that was? While I was thinking of fucking him, he was thinking about having innocent sleepovers and making me his fag hag, " she huffed, and I was laughing so hard at this point.

"Oh my God! Couldn't you tell before?" I gasped between my laughter.

"It's nearly impossible. He definitely has charm. Whatever, he really seems to want to be my friend at least. We're going shopping tomorrow. He has great taste," she said. I was shocked that she was still seeing him after that incident, but that was Rose for you.

"I'm glad you made a friend, but I miss you so much," I whined.

"I miss you too, but I don't think I can visit you until July. Why don't you come here?" she asked, and I really started thinking about it. Why not?

We talked a little bit more, then said goodbye. By the time I pressed the end button, my mind was set about visiting Seattle. Not this weekend, but the next. Yes, it was Rose's birthday, and that would be perfect. I could ask my dad to drive us to Port Angeles, then I we could fly from there. Or maybe, I could drive my dad's old truck.

"Mom, you were in the bathroom for too long," Amie said disapprovingly when I went into the living room, and I just kissed her head.

"I was talking to Rose," I said, and she immediately pouted.

"I want to talk to her, too!"

"We can call her later, okay?" She nodded, but her face stayed pouty, making me laugh.

"What are you doing?" I asked her, ignoring her pouty face and took a glance at smiling Edward. I felt his gaze on me from the moment I entered the living room.

"Coloring," Amie huffed and I rolled my eyes.

"We'll call her later. I promise. Now, please stop sulking, baby," I told her and sat down next to her on the floor. "Can I color with you, too?" I knew I was sucking up to her, but I hated when she sulked.

"But I'm bored. I want to watch a movie," Amie said, standing up on her short legs with the help of Edward. She gave Edward a bright smile, and I saw Edward give her a big grin in return. If he was like this when she was just four and relatively naive, I couldn't imagine what it would be like when she was a manipulative teenager.

"Okay, what do you want to watch?" I asked, standing up too.

"_Toy Story_," she said, smiling and pulling Edward towards the couch. I should have guessed, of course. She caused Rose and me to die from boredoom, forcing us to watch that film again and again when we first bought the DVD.

"Do you like _Toy Story_?" Amie asked Edward, who looked like he was living in a dream with the smirk on his face.

"I never saw it. But I'm sure I'll love it," Edward said, and I couldn't help but laugh. He learned quickly that you could never do wrong by sucking up to Amie. Amie smiled brightly at him and snuggled under his arm on the couch.

They watched the movie as I continued grading the papers. Amie snuggling into Edward, and Edward stroking her face and kissing her head… I couldn't resist the urge anymore, so I ran to my room to grab my camera. The scene was too beautiful to pass up. Thinking that I was being so sly, I took a photo of them, but the flash got their attention. Edward turned to look at me, blinking, and his eyes caught the camera in my hands. I felt my cheeks burn and began to stutter.

"I… um… I thought Amie would like a photo… a photo with you."

"I want to see!" Amie jumped towards me, forgetting the movie. Edward continued to look at me with a weird expression though, and I had to avert my eyes. He should't look at me like that. It was too much.

"I want another one, please," Amie squelaed and sat down next to Edward again. I took a few more pictures and Amie was practically glowing with happiness.

"Can we put them in an album?" she asked excitedly, climbing into Edward's lap. I nodded and she turned to look at Edward.

"Do you want an album, too?" she asked almost shyly, and Edward chuckled, kissing her nose. He kept kissing her face whenever he had the chance throughout the night, and Amie smiled every time he did.

"Of course, I want one. We can go to the store together, and you can choose my album, alright, baby?" he asked, and Amie nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck. I was about to take another photo, but Amie stopped me.

"Momma, come. Together!" she said, and I took a glance at Edward only to see that he was smiling slightly, as if to say he was sorry. Well, it wasn't his fault, and it was just a photo. I opened the self timer on the camera and put it on the books which were situated on the coffee table.

"Okay," I said and sat down next to Amie. She released one of her arms and hugged me with all of her power. The position must have been awkward for her, because she stood up, huffing and sat down in the small space between Edward and me. She grabbed one of Edward's hands and one of my hands and then brought them to her little lap, causing our hands to brush. The moment I felt Edward's touching mine, I heard Edward gasp and raised my head to look at him. His eyes were burning when he looked at me, and my eyes stayed glued to his no matter how hard I tried to look at camera. Before long, the flash went off, capturing the moment…

* * *

**EPOV**

Bella jumped onto her feet the moment the flash went off. I just wanted to grab her and continue looking into her beautiful eyes, but I knew that wouldn't be good. I needed to be patient and act wisely to make her believe that I really was repentant and wanted her. Acting like a caveman was not the solution.

"When can we put this into the album, Mommy?" Amie's sweet voice asked.

"As soon as we can print them, honey, but it could take a few days. Maybe this weekend," she said, and Amie's face fell instantly.

"I have a printer that also prints photos. I can print them at home and bring them tomorrow," I offered and hoped that Bella would say yes. She sighed, looking at me thoughtfully for a moment.

"Okay. Let me just put the pictures onto a flashdrive,"she said and walked out of room, her camera in her hands.

"But don't forget the photos," Amie said, putting on an adorable stern face.

"I won't, princess," I said and lifted her in air, causing her to shriek. She let out a small yawn and stared at my face with teary eyes.

"I'm a little sleepy," she said, yawning again and I smiled, kissing her small, button nose again. She had the cutest nose ever.

"I'm a little sleepy, too," I said and faked a yawn that made her giggle. She then leaned towards me and kissed my nose, causing my heart to swell. I just looked at her pretty face without saying anything. There weren't enough words to tell her how much I loved her.

"You kiss my nose," she stated, obviously a little embarrassed when I didn't say anything, and then she blushed wildly. It was both astonishing and wonderful how much she was like Bella.

"Yes, your nose is so sweet," I said and kissed it again, and she giggled sleepily.

"I'm going to tell Riley that I have my daddy," she whispered into my neck, and then her breathing changed before I had a chance to ask who Riley was.

"Is she asleep?" Bella asked, coming into the room with a small black flashdrive in her hand.

"Yes, she just dozed off," I whispered in order not to wake Amie. "Where's her room?" I asked and wanted to slap myself. The house had two rooms and since one of them was Charlie's, she was obviously sharing a room with Bella.

"My old room," Bella whispered back, echoing my thoughts.

"Do you mind if I… put her to bed?" I asked, hoping that she would say okay. I knew I asked too many things from her,but I just couldn't tear myself apart from them. It was still a mystery to me how I could have been so stupid five years ago.

"I don't mind," Bella answered, and we climbed the stairs slowly. Bella opened the bedroom's door, and all the memories came crashing into me in an instant. She still had her queen sized bed that we first made love in. The memory of it made me a little light headed, but I composed myself, thinking of Amie who was sleeping soundly in my arms. There was a small bed with Hello Kitty covers in the other corner of the room, and I assumed it was Amie's. Ignoring the thumpings in my chest and the uneasy feeling in my stomach, I walked towards it, and Bella followed me. She threw open the covers, and I gently laid Amie down.

"She… umm… will you change her?" I asked, my voice sounding weird.

"She'll wake up if I try. Let her sleep," she answered, looking as nervous as me. Our eyes locked once again, and I was sure she remembered what I remembered too. It was too much for me, so I was sure it was too much for her too.

"Charlie… he will be home shortly," she said, turning her head.

"Okay," I simply said, and we left the room. She followed me to the door and stopped in front of it.

"Flash drive," she said, giving me the small black object, and I nodded. Just as she was about to open the door, I remembered that I wanted to ask her about that Riley guy. Amie wouldn't stop talking about him, and what was her name, oh Emma.

"Bella, who the hell is this Riley? Amie kept telling about him and Emma today," I asked, and she smiled gorgeously at me.

"Well, Riley is Angela Weber's little son. He is the reason we had to tell Amie. Apparently he and Amie had a talk about daddies, and Amie came home crying and demanding hers," she said, and my heart broke.

"What talk?" I asked, wanting to know more even if I knew that it would hurt me. I deserved so much worse.

"Well, you know, Amie kind of thought only old people had their dads before, since she never was around kids her own age. I never told her anything like that. It's just something she made up herself. She was waiting for her dad to show up when she got older. Then she saw Riley's dad and asked me to call her dad," she said as I gripped the handle of the door tightly in my hand to not to break down. I had caused Amie this pain… this stupid, childish belief… I made my own daughter hurt for years… I… I… She hurt and cried all because of me…

"Are you okay?" Bella asked, holding my arm, and that was the thing that made me crumble.

"Why are you doing this?" I growled, and Bella frowned. "Why are you helping me? Why aren't you kicking me out? I can't even… I… how the hell was I able to leave you? God, why did I do that? I fucking left her, and now she's accepting me with open arms. How is this fair to her?" I asked, tears of fury streaming down. I had always been ashamed of crying in the past, but now it seemed like I was crying all the time.

"You're her dad. She loves you," Bella said, but that made me even more agitated.

"She loves me… She is so pure, so innocent… How can I ever be worthy of her?"

"By loving her and being with her. Edward, she needs you… It's a hard situation, but you can't let her see this. We can't let our problems affect her, " she said, and I looked into her deep brown eyes. She was the woman I loved and would love till the end of my life. She was everything to me, and I hurt her in the cruelest way. Yet, she was still helping me…

"I know you'll probably never forgive me," I whispered, taking her hand, and by some miracle, she didn't pull her hand back. "I can't even forgive myself, so I know it's not easy. But just… I want to say… I love both of you so fucking much… I'll do anything for you and for Amie… I'll be with her whenever she wants…Just know that…" I said and gently dropped her hand.

"I'm sorry for breaking down. I'm going now," I said, and she just nodded, looking like she was in pain. I opened the door and ran towards my car before I had the chance to get upset about the look on her face.

The only way I could sleep that night was taking a sleeping pill, so I did. My mind wouldn't stop thinking ,and I really needed sleep, since I needed to be awake in the clinic. But I couldn't erase from my mind the way Bella looked at me at her front door. Dad said I should give it time, but would time really help us? While even I was hating myself so much, why would she forgive me? Just because of some fucking time? Dad was wrong! She probably wouldn't forgive me… And Amie was just with me because she didn't know anything. The moment she learned the truth about me, she probably wouldn't want to see me again. No girl would want a dad like me…

I was still selfish though… Maybe Bella would be better without me, but I just wouldn't let go the chance to be with them this time. I had screwed it up once, but I learned from my mistakes. Being without her nearly killed me, and now with Amie in the picture, I knew I just had to be with them. Even knowing that she wouldn't forgive me or I could hurt her more didn't make me want to give up. This time, I wouldn't be a coward. I would fight. And I really didn't care what would happen to me in the process as long as Bella and Amie were fine and happy.

I woke up earlier than I usually did in the morning so that I could have time to print the photos. Each photo showed Amie's smiling face. Seeing Amie's face first thing in the morning did wonders to my mood, and I was smiling too before long. The photo of the three of us was the most beautiful among them. Amie was holding both of our hands and smiling hugely with wide green eyes, while Bella and I were just staring each other. Even this photo gave me courage to fight. It showed how it was supposed to be, and I was the biggest idiot in the world for not realising it earlier. I had made the biggest mistake ever, and now was the time to fix it.

The day dragged at work, and I found myself staring at my watch on more than one occasion. A part of me was embarrassed to see Bella after my outburst, but I knew I needed to be with them to show that I was here to stay,to show that I was different and repentant, and to show them I loved them…

It was an extremely annoying day at work, and I was about to kill someone, Jessica to be more specific, by the end of the day. She obviously told all the nurses in the clinic about Amie, because they watched me all day long like I was a lame TV show. Moreover, one of them was courageous enough to come and ask me about Amie. I got rid of her quickly, but the rumors circulating through the clinic by the end of the day were ridiculous. I was so angry by the end of my shift that it wasn't surprising that I snapped at the nurses who were hanging around in the staff room. But they had it coming. I entered the room to find a pen, since I couldn't find a decent one in my office, and they didn't see me.

"She went to Seattle without telling him, obviously. You saw how he has been these past few years. I heard that he learned about his kid when she was eight months pregnant, but Bella didn't let him see his own kid. How cruel is that? But she is all friendly with him now. I wonder why," said a nurse who looked around the same age of my mom, and it was obvious that she was having the time of her life.

"Well, I'm sure, it's just the money. Her dad is just a police chief and she works in the school. Edward's family has money," Jessica said, smirking, and I found myself marching towards them.

"Ladies, don't you have jobs to do?" I sneered, and all of them immediately stood up.

"Doctor Cullen, we-"

"Save it! It's none of your fucking business, but I'm gonna say it to you that anyway. I know you will talk about it all around the town, so everyone will learn. Listen to me well! Whatever happened with Bella, it was my fault, so stop talking about her! She did nothing! If I hear a bad word about her or my daughter, it will be bad for you. Just a warning! And we're paying you to work, not to have tea parties," I said, motioning towards the tea cups, cookies and muffins with my hand. "Clean this up,"I spat and turned towards Jessica before leaving the room.

"And Jessica, I am Doctor Cullen to you, not Edward." I left the room with that, but my hands were shaking with fury when I walked to my car. I was aware that what I heard was a small part of the stories that were being made up about us, but it was enough to drive me mad. I hoped that the nurses would tell everyone what I said. I could put up with all their crap as long as Amie and Bella were happy.

Ten minutes later, I was in front of Bella's home. I was going to stay in car for a few minutes to calm down, but the front door opened and Bella bolted towards me. Afraid that something bad happened, I got out of the car quickly and ran towards her.

"Edward! I was going to call you. Come in," she said, looking worried and scaring me more.

"What happened?" I asked and searched for Amie frantically with my eyes.

"It's Amie," she said, and my eyes immediately snapped to hers.

"What happened to her?" My voice sounded loud, and my hands started shaking again.

"She threw up before you came, and now she's crying. I keep trying to give her some Tylenol, but she refuses. I thought maybe you could do something. She has never acted this difficult when she was sick," she said, gesturing me to go upstairs.

"It's nothing serious, right? That's all? " I asked, needing confirmation that it really was all.

"Yes, she's just being cranky."

Feeling a little bit less nervous since it wasn't something worse, I followed Bella to their room. She opened the door, and my eyes landed on Amie's whimpering form, laying in Bella's bed.

"Look who's here," Bella cooed, sitting next to her. Not knowing if it would be a good idea to sit down next to Bella on the bed, I stood. She motioned with her hands for me to come, so I went and sat down on the bed too.

"Are you okay, honey?" I asked, trying to make her raise her head. Her hair was all over her face, and she was clutching a small blanket. The sight made me feel horrible, but I believed Bella when she said it was nothing serious. I just needed to see her face though.

"Can you look at me, honey?" I tried my luck again, and this time she pushed her hair over face and looked at me with tired eyes.

"I'm sick," she whispered and closed her eyes. I leaned down and kissed her forehead to see if she had fever. She indeed had one, but it wasn't too high.

"One hundred one degrees," Bella said and thrusted a small thermometer that showed 101 degrees in my hands.

"Yeah, nothing big," I breathed a sigh of relief and Bella rolled her eyes. I was the doctor, but she was the one who was calming me down. I guessed me being a doctor went out of window when it came to Amie.

"I told you. Just give her some Tylenol. She is so damn stubborn," she muttered and I smiled despite the situation.

"Amie, how are you feeling?" I asked, stroking her cheek, and her eyes opened.

"My stomach hurts. I hate throwing up,"she whispered.

"Can you bring a lukewarm washcloth?" I asked Bella, and she nodded, standing up.

"I have to give you some Tylenol,baby," I said to Amie, who was looking curiously at me.

"I don't want it," she whispered again.

"But it will make you better. Don't you want to be better?"

She nodded, and Bella walked into the room with a small washcloth in her hands. I took it and carefully wiped Amie's face, shoulders and then armpits. She sighed a little bit, but didn't object, so I guessed it felt nice.

"Better?" I asked and she nodded again, obviously too tired to speak.

"Can you please take your medicine now?" I asked, grabbing the bottle of liquid Tylenol.

"I don't like drinking medicine. It tastes weird," she objected, and then clamped her lips shut.

"She's been like that for the last forty minutes. Driving me crazy," Bella muttered.

"I know it tastes weird, but you should drink it. It's just a small spoon, come on, Amie," I encouraged her, but she didn't even answer, pursing her lips shut.

"I don't know how she can be so damn stubborn," Bella said, and I couldn't help but throw an amused glance at her. From what I remembered, she was worse when she was sick.

"Shut up," she mumbled, but I could see the faintest trace of a smile on her lips. "Hey, did you print the photos?" she asked suddenly.

"Yeah, they're in the car," I answered and she gave me a big smile.

"Can you… no… you stay, she's being less cranky with you. Can you give me your keys? I'll just grab the photos?" she said,and I handed my keys to her without questioning why she wanted to look at them right now.

I tried to convince Amie, but she just stayed still and ignored my presence. After five minutes of pleading, I was feeling really helpless.

"Oh, Edward, these photos look so cute," Bella said in an extemely loud voice, and Amie immediately opened her eyes.

"Photos?" she asked weakly, and I understood what Bella was trying to do at that moment, and I thought it was pure genious.

"Yes, but I think you should open your mouth first, you know, to drink your Tylenol," Bella said slyly, and Amie huffed.

"I hate it," she wailed, making me feel miserable for forcing her, but she had to have it to get better.

"First medicine, then photos, Amie," Bella said sternly and Amie turned her teary eyes to me.

"I know you hate it, but it will make you feel better. Come on," I begged, and this time she opened her mouth reluctantly. Bella grinned in victory, making me smile and then she grabbed the bottle. She poured some on the small plastic spoon and pushed it into Amie's open mouth. Amie scrunched up her face, swallowing.

"Now, you can look at photos," Bella said, kissing her cheek, and gave the photos to Amie. She looked through them with a smile on her face, but she looked so tired.

"You can look at them later if you want," Bella muttered gently, and Amie nodded, giving the photos back. She lay down on the matress and grabbed Bella's hand to make her lie down with her.

"You, too," she ordered weakly to me, and my eyes widened instantly. Did she want me to lie down with them? I wanted to do it more than anything, but I was nearly sure that Bella didn't want that. I looked at her face, and she shocked me by nodding. _We can't let our problems affect her… _I remembered her words from last night, and with the courage they gave, I lay down on Amie's other side too. Amie grabbed my hand and brought it together with hers and Bella's, giving a contented sigh. I closed my eyes, listening to Bella's and Amie's breathing.

The next time I opened my eyes, the room was darker. Realising that I had fallen asleep, I panicked, thinking that I imposed more than I should. Something stirred on me, and suddenly, I was aware of the weight and warmth on my chest. I rubbed my eyes and looked down only to see brown hair. Amie's brown hair. Somehow, we must have changed positions, because Amie was sleeping on my chest and Bella's arm was draped across Amie's back, effectively also hugging me.

Looking at their sleeping faces, I realized that never in my life had I felt so complete. This was simply where I should be. My place was where they were from the very beginning, and I was a fool to realize it this late. I felt a goofy smile cross my lips.

"Well, well, Mr. Cullen," I heard Charlie's voice, and the grin immediately vanished. I raised my head slightly, and saw his stiff form, standing next to the wide open door. "If I'm staying silent now, it's because of Amie. But you're coming to the station tomorrow, and I won't be this silent," he said, giving me an evil grin and left the room.

I knew I should have felt fear, but somehow I wasn't afraid of him. I understood his hatred, his frustration and his fears, and I knew I deserved whatever he would do or say to me tomorrow. I understood him… I was a father after all…

* * *

Hi!

Thank you so much for reading! Also, I want to thank everyone who reviewed last chapter! Your reviews mean a lot to me:)

And, I want to say 'THANK YOU' to my beta for fixing this chapter and answering my every question:)

Please let me know what you think about this chapter:)

Have a great day!


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

**BPOV**

Why was this happening to me? Did I do something bad to deserve this? I was a good person, a good mom, and a good daughter. So, why did it seem like the universe hated me?

Yes, the universe clearly hated me, because my little girl wanted her dad to lay with us. And he did lay with us. If that wasn't enough, I somehow managed to fall asleep when he was in the same bed with me! I didn't know if I was angry at myself or the situation.

When Amie pulled Edward next to her, I panicked at first. I panicked too badly. The memory of Edward and me, sleeping on this bed, came to me, and it was too much. I just wanted him to get the hell out of the room. For a brief minute, I really thought about kicking him out, but then our eyes met, and I just couldn't. He looked as nervous as me, and he was asking me permission with his eyes. He was here for Amie, and Amie needed both of her parents right now. Who was I to deny her? She never had the luxury of having both of her parents with her when she was sick before, so I was not going to take it from her now.

Edward laid down, and Amie again grasped both of our hands on her tummy, making me stiffen. I was so aware of Edward's presence, and it made me uneasy. Of course, Amie was between us. This was just for her, but I still felt nervous. I stared at the ceiling for so long that my eyes started to hurt. I closed my eyes, praying that I would feel less nervous and more composed. I freaking fell asleep. I was really tired as a result of a restless night of sleep, a day at school with hormonal teenagers and Amie's whining, but really? I would never know how I could manage to fall asleep when I was that nervous.

I didn't know how much time had passed, but it was dark in the room when I opened my unwilling eyes again. At first, my stupid brain couldn't comprehend what the hell was going on. I yawned loudly and stretched and then clutched onto Amie's shirt. I loved her smell. I breathed in deeply, and that was the moment for me. That moment I remembered how I ended up in this bed in the first place, and my heart started beating fast. Edward was here! Edward was in the same bed with me! Closing my eyes tightly, I buried my head in the pillow, hoping that maybe it was all a dream.

I peeked at them and saw that Amie was sleeping peacefully on Edward's chest. My arm was still thrown over Amie, but I couldn't see whose shirt I was gripping. I prayed that it was Amie's shirt that I was gripping on, because I would die from humiliation if I it was Edward's shirt I was gripping. Feeling too embarrassed to actually look and find out, I poked the body gently. Instead of feeling Amie's soft skin, I felt something hard and gulped audibly. I was gripping his shirt, and I just poked him…Oh my God, I just poked him! What the hell was wrong with me?

I heard a low chuckle as I snatched my hand away, my face beet red from embarrassment. I buried my head further into the pillow.

"Hey, you're going to suffocate yourself," Edward said in a raspy voice that was way too appealing.

"No, I'm fine," I mumbled, but he somehow managed to hear what I said.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep. I was going to go, but she was sleeping like an angel, so I couldn't," he said in a shy voice and I couldn't resist the urge to turn and look at him.

The sight that welcomed me was even more appealing than his voice and I forgot that I was going to say something. His eyes were scrunched up, obviously sleepy, and his lips were pouty. It was Edward's _I'm sleepy, yet still sexy face_, and I just wanted to crawl to him, and…

Amie stirred this moment, and I came to my senses. What the hell? My daughter was sleeping on his chest, for God's sake! He was Edward. Edward…I shouldn't be nursing such thoughts about him. It was all kinds of wrong.

"It's okay, but I think you should go now. I'm sure Charlie is home," I said , and he nodded, without saying anything.

He easily stood up, and Amie clung to his neck. I feared that she would throw a tantrum, but she just whimpered a little when Edward put her into her own bed. She didn't wake up, for which I was very thankful. Edward kissed her forehead in such a lovely manner that I managed to smile at them despite the embarrassment I was still feeling.

He stroked Amie's head and turned to me, causing our eyes to meet. The room was dark, but my eyes were able to see his face clearly. When our eyes met, all of the memories came flooding back, and that was why I didn't want him in this room. We first made love in this room, hell, maybe we even conceived Amie in this room. After all that happened, it was too much being in this room with him. Rose said maybe he was the only one who could heal me, but no. She didn't know. She didn't know how bad it hurt. She didn't know that if he hurt me one more time, I would die. My soul would die.

I turned my gaze, breaking eye contact, and he sighed. Maybe, it was hard for him too. I mean, he said he loved me, so maybe he was suffering too. But we were suffering because of him… There was nothing I could do about it. He had done everything.

We went downstairs in silence only to see Dad hovering near the staircase, looking like a crazy man.

"Finally," he grumbled when he saw us and went to sit on the couch after glaring at Edward. It was obvious that he had seen everything. Just, great… I followed Edward to the door, feeling my dad's gaze on me all the time.

"So," he said and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well, I'm sorry that I've caused any inconvenience, but I couldn't say no to Amie. You said that we shouldn't let our issues affect her. So, I just…" he mumbled in a quiet voice, making me smile despite myself. It was good to know that he cared about me. Not that it changed anything… It was just good to know.

"Well, yeah, it was awkward, but she's sick, so I guess that's okay," I said, and he gave a gorgeous smile that made my stupid heart jump. He just needed to go… Now.

"Saturday or Sunday? Which day is okay for you? You know, for me to take Amie," he said as I was about to say goodbye.

"I don't know. You choose." I didn't want him to take Amie. Not at all. But this was something I had to do. Amie loved him, and I was sure she would love spending time with him.

"Saturday is my day off," he said, and I nodded, trying to end the conversation. I had an angry dad inside, and every minute I talked with Edward was causing me more complication. Stupid Rose and stupid hormones!

After that we said our goodbyes and he left. I dreaded the talk with Dad, but I knew he deserved an explanation. He was always supportive of me.

"Well, you looked cozy in your bedroom," he said, as I sat down next to him, and my face flushed.

"Amie wanted us to lay with her. I just fell asleep," I said, using a defensive tone, and Dad snorted, before talking.

"He was grinning like a Cheshire cat, that asshole."

"Edward?" I asked weakly, not really knowing what to say.

"Yes." Great, he was being short with me now.

"Daddy, please," I said and hugged his arm. "I swear I just fell asleep, and he could grin all he wants. I just fell asleep. That's it. Nothing more."

"You don't understand, Bella." He sighed and turned to look at me. "I've seen you at your best and at your worst, and those were both Edward's doings. He has an ability to… I don't know… I'm afraid that you're just going to let him in again, and he will hurt you more," he said, and I gasped.

"Dad, no! Amie is sick, and it was for her. I'm not going to forgive and forget what he did."

"You're already forgiving and forgetting, honey," he said and kissed my head. "When you first came back here, your eyes filled with hatred whenever you talked about Edward. Now, there's none. I'm just afraid that that asshole is going to hurt my little girl one more time, that's all. Other than that, I just want you and Amie to be happy. Even if it is with him."

"I'm not forgiving," I sniffed, and Dad gave me a sad smile. "I'm doing this for Amie, not for me or him. I… I'm happy now. I don't need him to be happy." I was crying now, and Dad hugged me.

"I'm sorry I brought it up, honey. I know you're happy. Forget I've said anything," he muttered gently into my ear, and I nodded. There was no way I could forget what he said though. First Rose, and then him…

"Okay," I said and kissed his cheek, happy that he wasn't pushing. I really didn't want to talk about Edward. "Dad, I want to go visit Rose next weekend. Can you drop me and Amie to Port Angeles?" I changed the topic and hoped that he was available that weekend. He had such a busy and complicated work schedule.

"You know I work on weekends, Bells," he said, and I cursed my luck. Yeah, he generally worked on weekends, but I thought maybe it was one of his free ones. I decided to push my luck, since I really really wanted to see Rose.

"Can't you just drop us? Or I could drive your old truck. It's just a four hour drive to Seattle."

"I really can't, Bella. The office needs me," he said, and I barely restrained myself from rolling my eyes at his snobby tone. He was in love with his job. "But, you can use the truck. I'm sure it still runs really well."

"Thank you, Dad," I said, grinning. We just sat on the couch, watching some comedy show on TV and laughing. I really loved Dad, and I was proud of myself that I was giving Amie her father in spite of everything.

The days passed in a blur. Edward came to see Amie everyday, yet he didn't stay as long as he did on the day that Amie was sick. Amie was beyond content, and this automatically made me content. But I was not feeling so content on Saturday. Miserable, lonely, annoyed, but not content… Edward came at ten o'clock in the morning to take Amie, and I didn't know what do to with myself since then. Amie, already knowing that her daddy was coming to get her, was up and excited very early in the morning, and she was grinning from ear to ear when Edward buckled her into her car seat. Well, at least she was enjoying the day.

At first, I saw this Saturday as an opportunity to enjoy myself and have some me time without Amie. However, only an hour after Edward took her, I started to get bored, and my eyes sought Amie. One and half hours later, I wondered if she had her lunch and if she was fine. She couldn't really keep anything down after being sick, and she was just starting to eat normally. Also I was worried that she would get bored or miss me or… Who was I deceiving? I was nearly sure that she was just fine. Well, nearly… Two hours later, I just couldn't stand not knowing how she was doing and texted Edward. After texting him three times in just an hour, I threw my phone away from me and didn't touch it. It was his day with Amie, and I was bothering them to no end.

Grabbing my laptop from upstairs, I put on a DVD that Rose loved so much. Since she didn't watch anything other than comedies, I was grinning like a mad woman before long. She did me good without even being next to me.

"Why are you grinning?" Dad asked, coming into the room, startling me. I didn't even realize that it was time for him to come home.

"The movie's funny," I replied and peeked at him. He looked so tired. I really thought that it was time for him to retire, but he said he was still young.

"I'm just going to eat something and have a nap," he said, shrugging his uniform jacket off.

"Let me prepare dinner," I said quickly, turning off the laptop. Just as I was about to go to the kitchen and fix us a quick meal, my phone started beeping and vibrating. Edward was calling me.

"Hello," I answered the phone, half dreading that something happened.

"Momma," Amie's sweet voice answered, and I was grinning again.

"How are you, honey? You're being good?"

"I'm good. We went to the park today, and then painted the room. Daddy tried to make a cake, but it's gross," she said, giggling, and I couldn't help but sigh when she said Daddy. She loved to use that term so much, and used it a lot in the past week, making Edward beyond happy during his visits.

"What room? And did he burn the cake?"I asked, already knowing the answer. Edward was a horrible cook. I didn't even know why he tried to do it in the first place.

"My play room," she giggled, and I felt a surge of jealousy course through me. What the hell was he doing? If he was trying to influence Amie into staying with him more somehow, I would just… just…

Amie was babbling something about a chocolate cake, but I couldn't focus. "Baby, can you give the phone to your dad?" I asked with a shaky voice.

"Okay," she chirped, and I heard Edward's voice a few seconds later.

"Bella, hi."

"What are you trying to do, Edward? Playroom, really? What's next? Are you going to buy her a pony?" I asked, not being able to hide the jealousy in my voice. I never had the money to provide Amie with finer things. She never had too many toys. She never had a room of her own. Now, a playroom? The fact that Edward was going to give her the things I couldn't was making my heart ache. She was so little. She would be affected.

"Bella, I'm just… well, you see there's no suitable place for her to hang out and play in my apartment, so I decided to turn my study into a playroom for her. It's nothing big, I promise. I'm sorry if I upset you," he said, and I tried to calm down a little.

"Promise me it's nothing big." I had no other choice but to trust him, and I wanted to trust him now more than anything.

"I promise. Why don't you come and see it yourself?" he asked, and my mouth dropped open. Did he want me to visit him? Did he want me to go his home? It was ridiculous. Did he think I would say yes? He was ridiculous.

"My family is coming tonight. We're going to order Chinese food and we even have chocolate cake," he continued when I didn't say anything. He was really really ridiculous.

"Mommy, please!" I heard Amie's voice and closed my eyes, sighing.

Well, it turned out that I was the ridiculous one, because half an hour later I was getting ready to go his apartment. I just couldn't say no when Amie started begging along with Edward, and I somehow found myself saying yes. It was wrong. So wrong. And I was nervous.

"Bella, where are you going?" Dad asked while I was trying to put on my shoes hastily.

"Amie.. umm Amie invited me to dinner," I said, and it wasn't a lie. I just couldn't say no to her sweet, begging voice, and I was dying to see that playroom. Well, I was wondering about Edward's home as well. Just a little bit…

Dad grumbled something under his breath, but I couldn't catch it; I really didn't want to catch it. At that moment a horn sounded outside, and I opened the door to see Emmett's car. Plastering a smile on my face and trying to look less nervous, I closed the door and walked towards the car.

* * *

**EPOV**

Bella said yes! She was coming! I didn't know why I was so excited and nervous. Suddenly, my apartment looked so unclean, and I felt like I needed a shower. But she was coming! She was going to sit and eat in my apartment! That was good, right? That should be good. When Amie first asked if we could invite her mom too, I thought Bella was just going to say no. Yet, she surprised me. She always surprised me. I was so nervous… I wasn't even that nervous when I went to talk with Charlie.

I went to talk to him the day after he saw me in Bella's bedroom, and let's say that our talk wasn't so friendly. Well, at least he wasn't friendly, and I understood that. When I first stepped into his office, he stood up and locked his door, scaring the shit out of me. For a second, I thought that he was going to kill me and get rid of my body, but he was just like his daughter. He surprised me.

"I don't want rest of the station to hear what an asshole my grandbaby's dad is," he said, glaring at me, and I cringed. Yes, I was an asshole, and Amie deserved better. This fact caused me to hurt more than anything Charlie could say.

"Listen now, and listen well. This is the first and last talk we're having," he said, still looking at me with eyes that were full of anger, and I nodded. What could I say anyway? Nothing I could say would change how he saw me. "I can't tell you to stay away from Amie because it would hurt her more than it would hurt you. I don't want that. Just know that if I see Bella or Amie shed a tear because of you, you're dead. Just know that…" he said in a calm voice.

"I can assure you that-"

"Cut the shit!" he snarled, making me cringe even more. "I don't need you to assure me. One more tear, and you're going down! I don't need you to hurt my baby girl even more."

Shame and guilt reappeared the moment he uttered those words. I knew he wasn't lying or exaggerating when he said those words. There was nothing I wouldn't do for Amie, and I knew that he would do anything for Bella. Knowing this caused me to feel even more embarrassed and guilty. I hurt this man's only daughter, and it was not hard for me to guess the hate and disgust he felt towards me.

"I shouldn't have listened to her," he grumbled, as I sit morosely in the chair. "I should've beat your sorry ass and made you face your responsibilities. Do you know how many nights Rose called me, telling Bella was crying, when she was pregnant?" he asked and paused to take a long breath. "Do you know how hard it was to comfort her? You don't know shit. But you should just know this really well, Edward Cullen; if you can step into my house, it's because they care about you. If I'm not killing you, it's because they care about you. Don't let them down this time," he said and turned his burning gaze away.

I knew that the talk was over. Charlie was never the talkative one. I let him say what he wanted to say, but I needed to say something too. He said he didn't need any assurance, but I knew he did. I just knew…

"I promise you. I just promise you that I won't hurt them. I love them. I did a terrible mistake. I know nothing I say is enough to change your opinion of me right now, but I will do everything to make them happy." He didn't say anything back and simply started to read the folder that was laying on his desk. Understanding that it was his way of saying get the fuck out of my room, I stood up, mumbling a goodbye. He didn't answer. Yet, he didn't say anything either when he saw me with Amie in his living room the next day. He didn't even send me his usual glare. I knew he was giving me a chance, and I was not stupid to ruin it one more time.

"My momma's coming," Amie said,jumping up and down and bringing me back to present. I barely resisted the urge to jump with her. Yes, Bella was coming!

"Yes, honey," I said and lifted her causing her to giggle loudly. Today was much better than I had imagined even in my wildest dreams, and I was in a really good mood. "But my momma is coming too, so I think we should clean the room a little bit. She will be angry with me if we don't," I mumbled, looking at the mess in the living room. Amie's toys were everywhere, and the coloring books I bought for her were scattered around the room.

"I can clean up," Amie said, brightly and wriggled out of my arms.

"Let me help you, princess." I walked after her and we cleaned the room in five minutes.

Today was really perfect. I got her from Bella's and we had a small breakfast together, just fruits. I learned that she loved melons and strawberries. Then we went to the local park and strolled around the town. She was a really easygoing kid, and it was obvious that she loved outdoors.

Since my apartment is so manly, as Alice liked to call it, I wanted to give Amie some place of her own. It was the least I could do. Preparing a bedroom for her seemed too forward, so I decided to turn my study into a playroom for Amie. I thought about it all week, and it seemed more and more reasonable everyday. I carried the bookcase to my bedroom and got rid of the other unneccesary furniture in the room. I didn't use that room much anyway. I was going to paint it and put some toys in it before Saturday, but then I remembered that my dad had let us paint our rooms when we were kids, and I had really enjoyed that. It seemed like a really good activity to do with Amie, and if she didn't want to do that, I would do it all myself anyway.

She loved it though. I let her choose the color, and she chose light purple. Well, it was fun, but trying to clean Amie's face after that wasn't that fun. After changing her into her spare clothes, we let the room dry and went to living room. We had been hanging around the living room since, other than tending to the kitchen after my cake disaster. I really didn't know why I thought I could do it in the first place. I just ruined the kitchen.

"Alice will bring the cake?" Amie asked when we were sitting after cleaning the room, her eyes glued to screen.

"Yes, Alice and Jasper will bring the cake," I answered for the fiftieth time, but it wasn't annoying. She wanted to eat chocolate cake, so she would. When Alice called me to ask if they could come to my home for dinner, I told her they could if they brought a chocolate cake, and they agreed.

"Grandpa will bring Mommy?" She asked again, and I gulped.

"No, honey. Emmett is picking up your mom."

"Emmett is your brother?" she asked, and I nodded. I really didn't know the reason, but she had asked me about my siblings all day long. Maybe she was just trying to familarize herself with the family, and it was cute as hell. I closed my eyes and let my body relax a little bit. As awesome as it was, today was also tiring. Being with a four year old all day long was a tough job, and I really admired Bella for doing this for years. I knew she had no other choice, which made me feel like the biggest asshole in the world, but I still admired her.

"Are you sleeping?" Amie whispered loudly, and I couldn't help but smile.

"You're not sleeping, Daddy,"she laughed and tried to climb into my lap when the doorbell rang.

"Momma's here!" She screamed and ran towards the door.

"Amie, slow down, baby," I said, walking after her, but she had already opened the door.

"Momma, I missed you!" She jumped onto Bella, and Bella hugged her with all her might. I just watched them, a smile on my face, until my stupid brother decided to annoy me.

"What's that disgusting smell? Did you try to cook?" He laughed and Amie raised her head from her mom's neck.

"Daddy made a cake, but it's gross," she scrunched up her nose, and I gaped at her while everyone was laughing.

"Yeah, he sucks at cooking," Emmett said, going inside.

"How are you, Bella?" I turned to Bella, who was still holding Amie and smiling. Her smile faltered a little bit when I talked to her, but it didn't disappear.

"I'm good, thank you," she said and blushed faintly, reminding me of the day we fell asleep on her bed. She turned her head before I had a chance to say anything else.

"How was your day with Amie?" Mom asked, smiling. It was still surprising that she did such a complete turnaround, but I wasn't complaining. I loved my mom.

"It was perfect," I said and ushered all of them inside. Bella was sitting with Amie on her lap and listening to Amie's cheerful voice. I smiled at them and sat next to Dad.

"You look good," he commented, patting my knee, and I nodded. I was good.

Amie stopped talking suddenly and turned towards me. "Where's Alice?" she asked, looking at me with narrowed eyes. Translation: where is my chocolate cake?

"She's nearly here, honey, and don't worry, she's bringing the cake," I said, and she smiled. A few minutes later, the doorbell rang again and I went to open the door.

"Hi, Edward!" Alice chirped and kissed my cheek.

"Hello, Ali. Do you have the cake?" I asked and she laughed, thrusting a box into my hands. I didn't know how many times we had called her for that cake today.

"How could we forget?" Jasper said, shaking my hand. He had managed to take a week off from the work, but he had to go back to New York tomorrow. Alice grabbed Jasper's elbow to drag him into the room, and I went to the kitchen to put the box in there.

"Edward, we're ordering? Do you want the usual?" Emmett yelled from living room, and I yelled back.

"Yes, the usual."

I put the cake down and turned around only to see Bella, standing and looking at me nervously. Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined her in my home, but she looked too good here, like she should be here.

"Umm… You said I could see the playroom," she mumbled, ducking her head. Her being so nervous around me was making me nervous and sad, but I couldn't blame her.

"Oh, right," I said and showed her to the hall with my hand. I opened the door, and she walked inside with slow steps.

"You see, nothing big. It's a small room, and we're just going to put her toys in there. Maybe, a little bed for napping. You see, my home is not very child friendly," I said, but she didn't say anything back. She just stood in the middle of the room. When she turned to look at me, her eyes were filled with tears.

"Don't you like it?" I asked, feeling afraid that she didn't like it or I did something wrong. "I just wanted her to have some place to play when she's here. If you-"

"No, I like it," she interrupted me. "It's so cute, and it's so thoughtful of you to think of it. It's just… nevermind," she said, sniffing. There was no way I was letting this go though. I was determined to learn what was bothering her. When I said I was not going to hurt her anymore, I was serious.

"Please, tell me, Bella. I don't want to upset you, but it seems whatever I do, I only manage to make you cry in the end," I said, and she smiled slightly.

"You didn't upset me, no. It's just, I couldn't provide her with the best things with just my student loan money and the money my dad sent me, and I'm just… I'm afraid that she'll…" she didn't say anything more and blushed crimson red. She didn't need to say anything else though. I understood what she was trying to say… what worried her… Moreover, I knew all of these things were my fault…

"You've provided her with the best things, Bella," I said and tentatively reached for her hand. "You gave her life, and you raised her alone. Nothing I can buy or do can outdo what you did. She loves you much more than she loves me," I whispered, squeezing her hand. "I won't do anything before asking you again."

"I'm being a big baby. I'm sorry, Edward," she said and gently snatched her hand. "I'm just afraid…"

"There's nothing to be afraid of," I muttered gently, looking into her eyes and she nodded. Her beautiful eyes weren't teary anymore, but I was able to see the sadness in them. How could she think that Amie would love her less because of a room or a few toys? Looking into her eyes, I could see that she was genuinely afraid, and I vowed to myself that I wouldn't do anything to make her feel threatened. I only wanted to see happiness in her eyes.

"Food… Emmett ordered… We should go inside," she said and walked out of room before I could blink, and I followed her.

"We ordered pizza for your picky daughter," Emmett spoke loudly, and Amie poked her tongue out to him.

"Daddy, he wants to eat my pizza," she exclaimed, hugging my leg and making everyone snicker.

"You're not eating Amie's pizza, Emmett. Eat your own food," I ordered, winking at Emmett, and he laughed. It was so good to see that Amie was relaxed around my family. Amie beamed at me before running to her mom, and Bella helped her sit next to her, smiling beautifully. Fifteen minutes later, everyone was eating, and Alice and Amie were babbling incessantly.

"So, this is Grandpa Carlisle, and this is Grandma Esme, and I'm Auntie Alice, but you can call me Alice, and this big oaf is Uncle Emmett," Alice introduced everyone with their nex family titles, and Amie nodded.

"And I have Grandpa Charlie," she said, happily, and Bella nodded, stroking her hair.

"Does Riley have a Grandpa?" Amie suddenly asked to Bella, and I just wanted to groan. I didn't know why but this little Riley guy was irritating me. But, come on, Amie didn't stop talking about him.

"Yes, I guess so," Bella replied, looking at Mom and Mom nodded. She knew everyone around the town.

"Who's Riley? Your boyfriend?" Emmett asked cheekily at Amie, making me want to strangle him. Did he even think before he spoke? Boyfriend? She was four! She didn't need those kind of questions being asked of her.

Amie didn't seem to be affected by the question though."He's my friend, and he's Emma's brother," she said, and then turned her attention to her pizza.

"Stop glaring at me, Eddie. You heard, they're just friends."

I elbowed Emmett harshly this time, causing him to gasp and Mom to reprimand us loudly. "You're brothers, for God's sake. Act like brothers, and stop acting like five year olds," she yelled.

"We're acting like brothers, Mom," Emmett said, grinning, and I couldn't help my laughter. He was right. We always loved to pick on each other, and Alice was the baby. For the last five years, I wasn't as close to my family as I once was, but I was determined to fix that from now on.

"My super idiot brothers," Alice said, and nearly climbed onto Jasper's lap, screaming when Emmett ruffled her hair.

Amie caught my gaze in all this commotation, and I noticed that she was just watching Emmett and Alice with a blank expression. I looked at Bella to see if she noticed anything, but she was laughing at something Dad said.

"Amie, what's the matter?" I asked and took a sip from my coke. Wrong move…

"I want a little brother," she declared, and I choked on my drink. I started to cough loudly, and Emmett patted my back, snickering at the same time.

"Enough, Emmett, leave my organs inside," I grunted, my throat still hurting, and looked at Amie who was looking at me curiously. Did she say she wanted a brother?

Bella looked beet red, and Alice was trying to hide her laughter, hiding behind Jasper's shoulder while my parents just looked at Bella, worriedly. So, yeah, I guess she asked for a brother.

"Emma has Riley, and Emmett is Alice's brother. I want a brother. They're funny," she said again, looking unaware of the expressions of the people around her. I opened my mouth to answer her, but I just managed to look at her, gaping. Bella wasn't even looking at me or Amie at this point, as she fiddled with her napkin.

"Amie, dear, people must be married or together to have a baby," Dad said, and I threw a thankful glance to him, thinking that she would drop it. How wrong I was to think that she would drop it…

Amie looked at Bella briefly, and then she took a brief glance at me. She seemed thoughtful for a second, and then she asked with a sweet voice, beaming, "Then, can you please get married?"

* * *

Hi!

I want to thank my beta for fixing this chapter, and I want to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter:) Your support means a lot!

Thank you for reading!:) Please let me know what you think:)

Have a wonderful weekend!


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

**BPOV**

"Then can you please get married?"

No, she did not just say that! No, she didn't!

Oh my God, she said that! Why? Why did Amie have to say that? Why did she have to embarrass me further than I already was? First, she asked for a brother, and now for us to get married. Why?

I just wanted to bolt out of the room and never turn back, but I knew it wasn't an option. I had to stay and deal with the stupid things that Amie was babbling. However, Emmett's and Alice's snickers were turning my embarrassment into fury. Didn't they understand the severity of the situation? Didn't they understand how that question was hurting me? Even Edward looked like he was about to pass out.

"Well, I'm glad Amie amuses you," I spat, and Alice immediately ceased laughing and looked at me with apologetic eyes. Emmett was too much of a moron to understand though. Or he just didn't care.

"She's a little sneak. I love her," Emmett said between his laughter, and Amie beamed at him. Attention seeker…

Gathering my courage and what was left of my dignity, I turned to Amie who was still grinning at Emmett. I had to do this so that she wouldn't get the impression that there was a possibilty of Edward and me marrying or something. She needed to understand that and she needed to stop asking those kinds of questions. I didn't think I could handle her questions. It hurt.

"Amie, baby, I'm not getting married to your dad, okay?" I asked and waited for her to say something. Since Edward looked as pale as a ghost, I had to do this alone. I had done everything alone…

"Why? You don't love him?" she asked and her bottom lip pouted out. Well, I had never been able to say no to her sad face before, but there was no way I was marrying Edward just because she asked me to do. She needed to learn that we were not going to be together, but we both loved her.

"I love him, honey," I said and swallowed. The truth of my statement made me tear up, but I didn't let myself dwell on this fact. "But I love him as a friend, and friends don't get married."

The second the words came out of my mouth, Edward casted me a weird glance, but I ignored him. While he needed to assist me, he was just sitting and looking like he was about to have a panic attack. Amie stayed silent for a few seconds, and everyone averted their gazes from her. I hated to break my girl's happy bubble, but there was nothing I could do this time. I again looked at Edward, asking for help with my eyes, but he looked as thoughtful as Amie. I cleared my throat to get his attention, and he finally looked at me.

"Yes, Amie, we're friends." His voice cracked, but he continued nonetheless. "I love you and your momma so much, but we're friends," he said with the same voice that was so filled with emotion that I had to turn my head away from him. "So we can't get married, and there's no baby brother for you. Sorry, honey."

Amie made an attempt at protesting, but Carlisle effectively distracted her by asking her about Rose and Seattle. She started talking to him happily as if the last few minutes never happened. I could feel Edward's gaze on me, and it was causing me to freak out. I tried so hard not to look at him, but my traitor eyes landed on his face. I was able to see the hurt and despair clearly on his face. Really? Did he think I was going to tell Amie okay and run into his arms?

"Did you have a nice time with Daddy, Amie?" Alice asked, and then gave me a smile. I was still a little bit angry at her, but I didn't show it. Maybe I was making a big deal of it, but it was not the time and place to laugh. She should have known better.

"Yes, I did," Amie answered, smiling and went to climb into Edward's lap. Edward stroked her cheeks and gave me a sad smile that made me even more uncomfortable. Why wasn't he acting like a responsible adult?

"What are you going to do next weekend?" Alice asked again, and Edward shrugged.

"I don't know. We'll do whatever Amie wants," he said, and I remembered at that point that Amie and I were going to visit Rose next weekend. I knew it was a little inconsiderate of me not to consult Edward before agreeing to go see Rose, considering that he took Amie on the weekends,but he should be thankful that I was even letting him see her at all.

"Edward, umm… actually I was thinking about visiting Rose next weekend. So, you won't be able to take Amie. I'm sorry, but I really need to go, and I'm sure Amie wants to see Rose as well," I said carefully and watched his disappointed expression as he listened to me. "You can stay longer on weekdays," I offered weakly, and he gave me a forced smile as Amie shrieked in delight, forgetting about brothers and marriages.

"Okay, I understand. It's not a problem, Bella," he muttered, looking at Amie, who looked like she was about to die from the anticipation of seeing Rose, but it was obvious that it was indeed a problem. However, I was not going to change my mind.

"Can I come with you?" I heard Emmett's voice asking, and I snorted.

"Only if you want her to murder you."

"Come on, Bella, she won't murder me. I have my ways." He winked at me, and I just wanted to throw the pizza box at his head. He was not my favorite person right now, and he was being thick headed.

"Exactly. You have your ways, and she hates your ways," I said and felt a little bit guilty as his face fell.

"Emmett, don't be a big baby," Alice chided him, but he was still sulking.

"Why does she detest me so much, Bella?" he asked genuinely, and I looked at him with surprise. Couldn't he guess the reason?

"Well, I guess grabbing a girl's breast isn't the best way to approach her," I blurted out without thinking, and Edward snorted loudly, making Amie laugh.

"I can't believe you did that Emmett Cullen!" Esme yelled and threw a nasty glance at Emmett with narrowed eyes. I had to admit, she looked scary.

"Well… Mom.. I…" Emmett stuttered, and it was my turn to laugh at his helplessness.

"Stop it. We're going to talk about it once we're at home," Esme barked, and Emmett nodded vigoriously. It was so funny to watch him sulking like a five year old who knew he was going to get punished at home. He gave me a dirty look, but I just poked my tongue out to him. Childish, I knew, but whatever…

"How are you going to get there? To Seattle, I mean. Is your dad going to drop you off?" Edward asked as the noises calm down around us.

"No, he's working. I'm going to drive his truck."

"Oh! I love that truck!" Alice exclaimed, and I smiled, remembering the times Alice and I had snuck out with that truck. Well, considering the sound it made, it couldn't count as sneaking out. I was sure Dad had heard us everytime, but he hadn't said anything.

"Does that thing still work?" Edward asked, disbelief evident in his voice.

"Of course, it does. It's a classic," I answered, feeling slightly offended. I loved my dad's truck. It was even older than he was, but I loved it. Edward muttered something, but I couldn't hear it.

"What did you say?" I asked, trying to sound normal, but my voice was a bit defensive.

"I'm just surprised that it's still working, that's all," he muttered quickly and turned his attention back to Amie.

The rest of the night was spent with awkward conversations that Carlisle tried to engage everyone in, and we ate that cake that Amie was dying for. After that, it was time for us to go, and Edward dropped us home. He was silent all the way as if he was contemplating something.

Sunday was an ordinary day that I spent with Amie lounging around the house. She made me and Dad watch one of her favorite movies, and I had fun watching my dad's bored face more than watching the movie. Sue invited us to dinner, and Amie looked too pleased to be surrounded by people she loved two nights in a row.

Edward came to see Amie on Monday evening, and we barely talked. He didn't try to start a conversation, and I was determined to not say anything. I really didn't know why we were acting like this, but I had a suspicion that he was acting like this because of the marriage thing. Well, if that was the case, he was being childish.

On Saturday evening, he had a glint in his eyes, and he looked like he wanted to say something. I watched them play on the carpet from afar, but after a while I couldn't resist and sat down next to them.. Watching him playing with Amie's dolls was a sight to see, and it entertained me as much as Amie. After my dad came home and sent Edward a glare, Edward stood up to leave, trying to untangle Amie's arms from his neck.

"I promise I'll come tomorrow, but I have to go now," he murmured gently and put Amie on the ground. I was still nervous that she would blurt something out like the brother thing, and when she seemed like she was thinking, I felt like I was about to throw up.

"Bring me ice cream tomorrow?" she asked sweetly, and I laughed loudly. She had a sweet tooth, and Edward was constantly bringing her something sugary. As long as she ate her dinner and the snack wasn't too much, it was not a problem for me that she ate a dessert.

"I will." Edward gave Amie her goodnight kiss, and we walked to the door as Amie ran to her grumpy grandpa.

"Bella, I want to ask you something," Edward said in front of the door. I knew he wanted to say something. "I'm going to Seattle this weekend too," he said, and I felt my eyes grow. What the hell? "I have business that I need to take care of, and you can ride with me if you like," he explained sweetly, but I didn't believe a word of it.

"You have business?" I asked, and he nodded awkwardly. "Why didn't you say that when I first told you then?"

"Well… umm… It wasn't certain then. I mean, I didn't need to go then but I got a call today and I indeed have to go," he mumbled. It was not hard to tell that he was somewhat lying or making this up to go with us, and there was no way I would tell him yes.

"Thank you, but I want to drive," I said, smiling, and he opened his mouth again to say something. "I want to drive, Edward," I said sternly this time, and he had no other choice but to agree.

"All right, Bella."

I was getting more and more excited about the Seattle trip as the days passed. I even missed Seattle, eventhough I was never a big fan of that city. Amie was so anxious to see Rose. We were going to stop at a bakery, buy a cake and surprise Rose.

Edward didn't say anything about the trip of his again, and when I asked questions about it, he stuttered and gave awkward answers. He was so lying, and I couldn't decide if I found it cute or irritating. I mean, maybe it was nice that he wanted to be with us, but he couldn't get everything he wanted.

On Thursday, Edward called me to say that he was going to be a little late, and I decided to go grocery shopping with Amie. We also needed to buy a decent car seat. Amie was happy to be out as usual. She was looking everywhere and absorbing everything, when a yong, blonde woman approached us.

"Bella?" she asked, and I nodded, not really knowing who she was.

"Oh thank God. It's a miracle that I saw you. I needed to tell you something. Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't tell you his if I wasn't desperate, but I need my job," she said in a frantic voice.

"I'm sorry, but how is this related to me?"

"Can you please ask Dr. Cullen not to fire me? I know they're going to fire some nurses, but I didn't say anything about you or your daughter. I swear, I was just in the room."

"Edward is firing any staff that talks about me or Amie?" I asked, not believing my ears.

"A few nurses were gossiping and I was in the room. He made them stop talking, saying that he was the one to blame, and now he watches everyone like a hawk. Then I heard they are going to fire some nurses, and I'm so afraid. I'm so sorry for disturbing you, but I need this job," she said, as her eyes filled with tears.

Edward made the nurses stop talking… He told them he was the one to blame…

The girl was still looking at me expectantly, and I nodded. Begging was not something I would do, but I knew what it was like to have no job when you needed it.

"I'll tell him," I said, and her whole face brightened with her smile.

"Thank you, Bella. I'm Kate, by the way," she said, wiping her eyes with one hand and offering her other hand for me to shake. "And I swear I didn't say a bad word about you," she said, solemnly, and I laughed.

"It doesn't matter really," I mumbled still laughing, and her eyes widened. I was content with my life right now, and it really didn't matter what people said, as long as it didn't hurt Amie.

"It does matter," she exclaimed, and I laughed again. She looked like such an excitable girl, and it was obvious from her facial expressions and bright red face. She was like a blonde Alice, only a little younger. "They said some horrible stuff, but Dr. Cullen gave them a piece of his mind. He was so protective. It's so romantic," she said, and her eyes glazed over. My heart started beating faster,and I was about to open my mouth and say there was nothing romantic about that situation, when Amie distracted me by tugging my arm.

"Can we go home?" Amie whined, and I said goodbye to Kate, promising again that I would tell Edward. Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do, but there was something innocent about that girl, and I needed to defend her. I appreciated that Edward defended me and Amie… I appreciated it a little too much… He did as he said he would. He said he would tell everyone he was the one to blame, and he did exactly that. Even though I didn't find it utterly romantic like Kate did, I could not deny that I found it nice. It really showed that he cared and he was repentant, right? However, he didn't need to fire anyone for this…

Edward came late as he said he would that night, and he couldn't stay too long since Amie's bedtime was approaching. Edward put Amie to bed when I sat in silence with my dad. I tried to make him talk, but he was being disturbingly quiet when Edward was in the room. He was sulking and glaring at Edward, and the moment Edward was out of the room, he started acting and talking like nothing happen.

Edward came downstairs a few minutes later, and I followed him to the door as usual. He gave me a beautiful smile and turned back to leave.

"Hey," I said, and he turned to me again. "I heard that you're firing people because they talk about me," I said and watched as his eyes grew comically. "Is that true?"

* * *

**EPOV**

What? Fire people? How did she know? How?

"How do you know that?" I asked wondering who the hell ran and told her this stupid rumour. Yes, it was a rumour that one of the nurses made up, and now they were believing their own lies and creating drama. What was worse was that they loved the drama and it was getting even worse.

"It doesn't matter. People will talk, Edward,and you can't fire them because of that," she said. She was so innocent… She always chose to think the best of people. If she heard half of the things that they said about her, she wouldn't be thinking like that.

"I'm not firing anyone. They made it up themselves, and now they're believing it. I'm just keeping them under control. That's all." It was true. I watched every one of them closely the past week, and that was why they thought that I was going to fire someone. I don't know who made it up. It was spreading all around the clinic, and it was driving Dad crazy.

"Oh," Bella said, and her face turned pink. "I… umm… a girl named Kate asked me to talk to you about that. She looked so lost and needy, and I couldn't say no. And she said you were doing that because of me, and I felt a little guilty," she admitted sheepishly, and I couldn't hide my smile.

"Kate is a drama queen." She really was a drama queen. I couldn't remember how many times we have had to calm her down after we lost a patient. "I'm sure she made a big deal out of it. They'll see that no one is firing anyone," I said, and she nodded.

"And we're paying them to work, not to gossip and have tea parties. It's their fault that they are being watched," I added and Bella smiled.

"You really told them everything was your fault? Kate told me a little. She said they were saying bad things about me, and you said all of it was your fault." Her voice was barely a whisper in the end, and she averted her eyes from mine shyly.

"I told them the truth, Bella. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm the one that they should say bad things about, and apparently, they are. Look, I'm the ruthless doctor who is firing everyone." She let out a small giggle, and hearing it made me smile like an idiot. After that, we said our goodbyes, and I went to my empty apartment,leaving the two most important person in my life at that home. Of course, I wanted to stay, but I know that Charlie would kill me if I stayed a moment longer.

At the beginning of the week, things were extremely awkward between Bella and me thanks to Amie. Her question caught me off guard and I didn't know what to say the night that we had dinner together in my living room. I knew she was just a kid, and everything was much easier in her world than ours. It was so simple for her: get married and give her a brother.

But what astounded me the most was that it was simple for me to imagine that too. When she asked us to get married, my mind immediately went into overdrive. Having Bella and Amie next to me every day, coming home to them everynight, having Bella by my side in our bed, giving Amie the brother she wanted… I imagined all of them so easily… The images came into my mind effortlessly… Morever, I wanted them to be real, and this was the reason I felt so down when Bella explained to Amie that we were only friends. Of course I knew she would say something like that, and it was the right thing to say to Amie. But her saying that caused the images in my head to vanish suddenly, and it hurt.

Thank God, Amie didn't ask any more questions about marriage and a brother, but I had a feeling that this wasn't the end of it. She had a habit of telling and asking the same things over and over again, and I dreaded her questions.

Having enjoyed my day with Amie so much, I felt like crying when Bella said they were going to visit Rose next weekend. At first, I wanted to tell her that she promised and she should leave Amie with me, but I came to my senses quickly. Amie was hers, and she could do anything she wanted. I was lucky that she let me spend time with her. So I was not going to say anything about that trip and suck it up, but that was until I learned that she was going to drive her dad's old truck.

Actually calling that thing old was a compliment, because it was ancient. I hadn't seen that thing for nearly five years, and when I had last seen it, it had looked like it was about to break into pieces. As far as I know, it didn't even have a radio, and it was slower than a turtle. There was no way I was letting them use that piece of crap. What if it broke down in the middle of nowhere, and they needed help? What if they couldn't find the help they needed until it was too late? I was going to say those things to Bella too, but her defensive behaviour immediately reminded me of how overprotective she was about those kinds of things.

I thought about openly asking her if I could drive them, but I knew the answer. She would say no. She was stubborn, and she still didn't like spending time with me. Well, we spent a lot of time together in the last two weeks, but I was still almost sure that she was doing it only because of Amie . I couldn't deny that we got along better now. I didn't want to ruin it by pressuring her, but I didn't want her to drive that thing to Seattle with my daughter next to her either…

Then Emmett came to my aid. It was so stupid of me to even think about something he said, let alone do it, but I was doing that exact thing. He was visiting Dad on Tuesday, and he poked his head inside of my room to say hello when I was again busy freaking out.

"What the hell happened to you?" he exclaimed, taking in my state, and I just shrugged. I thought Emmett was the last person that would listen and understand me.

"Is it about this weekend? You're upset that they're going to Seattle, right? Well, I know you want to go with them, and believe me, I want to go too," he said and wriggled his eyebrows like a perverted teenage boy. Sometimes I couldn't believe that he was thirty.

"I'm just worried about them. They're going to drive Chief Swan's old truck, Emmett," I nearly yelled, and he chuckled. I didn't expect anything else from him anyway.

"You're being a little dramatic, Ed." He smirked and I wanted to kick his ass for being that careless. She was his niece, for crying out loud.

"Dramatic? What if something happens on the road, and they can't find help? What if it breaks down? What if Amie gets hot, and she dies from heat stroke because that crap doesn't have air conditioning?" I said in one breath, and Emmett still had the indecency to laugh.

"She won't die from the heat. They can open the windows," he said, smirking.

"What about bugs and mosquitos and the dust? They can't open the damn windows," I muttered under my breath.

"You're even worse than Mom," Emmett said, chuckling, and I glared at him. "I'm sure Bella knows how to handle mosquitos and dust considering she raised her to this age, but if you're going to act like a neurotic chick about it, why aren't you just going with them?"

"I know Bella is more than able to take care of Amie, Emmett," I snarled, and he just rolled his eyes. "I'm worried about both of them. And I can't just go to Bella and ask to ride with me, can I?"

He looked deep in thought for a few seconds, and I turned back to the papers in front of me, sighing.

"Peter is working in Seattle now, right?" he asked out of nowhere, and I nodded without looking at him.

"Tell Bella you have something work related to do there, and tell here you have to meet Peter. Since you already have to go, I think she will say yes to riding with you," he announced smugly, and I gaped at him. He came up with that in only a few minutes… If he used those sneaky lies with the girls he was fooling around with, there was no chance that those girls knew what hit them.

"I'm not going to lie to them," I objected, and he huffed loudly.

"Fine, but don't come to me when you're freaking the fuck out this weekend."

Sadly, I found myself thinking about what Emmett said after he left, and the more I thought about it, the more appealing it became. It would be bad if Bella knew I lied, but how could she figure that out anyway? Maybe if she thought I was already going, she would agree to ride with me. All through that night the idea was in my mind, and I blurted it out at their front door. She said no though, and I cursed my luck. Well, at least I couldn't say I didn't try.

It was Thursday now, and I was still feeling the tiniest bit of hope that she would call me to say that she changed her mind. However, the practical part of me already knew that she wouldn't call. I thought about asking her a few more times, but I didn't want to pressure her. So, I went to home without saying anything to her and fell into a dreamless sleep.

When I woke up the next morning, I was feeling a little tired since I worked extra hours the day before, but I had no choice other than to wake up and go to work. The staff at the clinic avoided me, and I would have found it extremely amusing if I didn't have a bad headache. I still didn't understand why they were making up that stuff; it was nonsense. I also didn't know if I was angry at Kate for talking to Bella, but I guess I couldn't blame her. She was only 20 and believed everything that the other's said. I knew that she didn't have any ill intentions.

The day passed as slowly as the others, and when it was finally the time to go and see my girl, I had a big grin on my face. My grin vanished when I saw a not so angelic side of her. I brought her her favorite chocolate bar, but Bella didn't let her eat it, saying that she already ate one of them today. I was expecting Amie to pout or do something utterly adorable, but I didn't expect her to throw a tantrum. Believe me, she was scary. She cried for fifteen minutes, and then spent another fifteen minutes sulking. I ached to let her eat the damn bar, but Bella was as stubborn as Amie and simply ignored Amie. I tried to calm her down by talking only to see that it wasn't helping when she cried louder. Thirty minutes later, she finally stopped and climbed into Bella's lap as if nothing happened. I thanked God that she hadn't done such things last Saturday, since I didn't have any idea how to handle her. Yet, she was still so precious and utterly intelligent.

"She can be a little fussy sometimes," Bella said, tickling Amie's belly and Amie giggled. No matter what she was perfect in my eyes.

I spent another thirty minutes there which passed with Amie's excited babbling about their visit. I tried to smile, but inside I was plotting all the ways to dismantle the truck in just one night. When Amie started yawning, I kissed her goodnight and stood up.

"So, umm… have a nice trip," I said to Bella, not really knowing what to say.

"Thank you," she beamed,and I felt like an ass for thinking about tagging along with her when she was that excited about that trip.

Before long we said our goodbyes, and I went to my home to spend my weekend alone and bored. For the last five years, I got used to being alone and didn't mind it, but since I got Amie and Bella back in my life, it started to become harder for me. I hated being alone in that apartment. I grabbed a book that I enjoyed and spent my whole night reading. By the time I went to bed, it was two in the morning, and I was feeling dizzy for lack of sleep. The last thing I remembered was thinking about that crap truck before I went to sleep.

The loud beeping of my phone woke me earlier than I would have liked in Saturday morning, and I grumbled, looking at the clock which showed 9:30 a.m. I had a feeling it was my dad who was calling, and I cursed louder. He had a nasty habit of calling me to work on my free days , and I hated it. I answered the phone without looking at the screen, and muttered a hello.

"Edward?" Bella's sweet voice made me sit up on the bed immediately, and I rubbed my eyes with my hand furiously in an attempt to wake up.

"Bella, what happened?" I said and cleared my throat when my voice cracked.

"Umm… sorry. Are you sleeping? Amie is scared of the truck, and I called you to learn if you're still going to Seattle?"

"Amie's scared of the truck?" I asked, not really understanding what that meant.

"Yeah, when I turned on the engine, it made a really loud sound, and Amie freaked out. She refuses to get in," she said in an annoyed tone, and I barely kept myself from screaming with joy. I loved my little girl! Even she knew enough to not trust that rusty truck.

"I was about to leave the house. I'll be there in fifteen minutes," I said and got out of the bed as fast as I could. I quickly dressed and brushed my teeth, resisting the huge and stupid grin that was about to break through all the time. I ran out of the building, nearly falling down in the process and got into my car. After sending a quick text to Peter, I started the car and drove towards Bella. As soon as I turned onto their street, I saw them waiting on the porch with a small black suitcase and a bright pink backpack in Bella's hand. The moment I opened the door, Amie ran towards me, her face beet red, and Bella followed her, looking breathtakingly beautiful in a plain white dress.

"I saw the monster truck, Daddy," Amie exclaimed sweetly, her eyes open wide, and I couldn't help the loud laugh that escaped my lips. Monster truck… She couldn't have given it a better name. Bella sent me a glare, but I could swear that her lips were twitching.

I kissed Amie's cheek and picked up her to strap her in the carseat. Bella slid in beside her and I put their bags in the trunk of the car.

"Well, let me save you from the monster truck then," I said as I started the car, and Bella laughed a genuinely happy laugh that made me grin all the way…

* * *

Hi!

Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think:)

I also want to thank my beta for fixing this! Thank you! You're awesome!:)

And lastly, I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed last chapter:) Your kind words mean a lot to me!

Have a nice day!

E.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

**BPOV**

Edward singing along to a ridiculous Disney song was probably the funniest thing I had ever heard, and judging from Amie's giggles, I could say that she thought exactly like me. The look of utter peace and contentedness on Edward's face when he hummed the song made the scene even funnier, and I found myself laughing with Amie, who was clapping her hands as well now.

"What?" Edward said, tilting his head, and I could see that he had a huge grin on his face.

"I won't even ask why you know the lyrics of this song," I answered, and he managed to hear me among Amie's protests. She didn't want Edward to stop singing.

"Well, we listened to it so many times last weekend, and it's our favorite song, isn't it, Amie?"

"Yes!" Amie shouted and Edward laughed. The song ended at that moment. Edward started singing along with a song as equally disturbing as the last one. Amie bounced on her seat, and also started singing, and failing at it miserably. I just leaned back and watched them. It was a priceless sight. I was so hesitant about calling Edward in the morning, but now I understood that I had done good by calling him. His presence didn't disturb me, and I actually found myself enjoying watching his interaction with Amie.

We had woken up fairly early this morning and packed our two little bags. After Amie's constant begging, I gave up and wore the white dress that she was holding, and I actually looked nice. I was so excited about seeing Rose, and I was also happy that I got Amie to myself for the whole weekend. As much as I didn't have a problem Edward spending time with her, I missed her so much last weekend.

My excitement and happiness vanished the moment we got inside the truck. It gave a loud sound when I tried to start the engine, and Amie jumped in her spot. I would have laughed at the expression on her face if I hadn't been worrying myself. I tried starting it a few more times, and after the third time, it roared loudly and started. Amie was so silent during all of this, and when I turned to look at her, I found her looking at me with big fearful eyes.

"What's the matter?" I asked and she took a deep breath.

"I'm scared. It's too loud," she said sweetly, and I couldn't contain my smile.

"There's nothing to be scared of, Amie. This is grandpa's car, and it runs well," I explained, as I pushed the gas pedal. The truck made another loud sound and stopped working. Cursing inside, I made an attempt to start it, but Amie's voice stopped me.

"This is so loud, and it smells bad," she whimpered and I couldn't laugh this time. She was right. The truck didn't smell good, but it was the only vehicle we had, so I had to drive it. Also Dad had said it still ran well, so there wasn't any problem. I tried to start it a few more times only to see it jerking into life and then to stop working. Suddenly the feeling of helplessness washed all over me, and I found myself trying hard not to cry. I didn't even manage to go to Seattle on my own. Calling Edward came to my mind in that instant, but I refused to call him at first. I knew he had been lying about the work in Seattle.

I was about to tell Amie that we weren't going to Seattle, but seeing the look of anticipation on her face made me freeze. She wanted to see Rose as much as I did. Okay, Edward lied, and I didn't appreciate it. However, it wasn't important as long as it didn't harm us and he drove us to Seattle, right? After spending every weekday evening with Edward in the last two weeks, I was able to tolerate him, and there was no reason for me to not call him. With that in mind, I called him, and it was obvious that he was sleeping even if he said otherwise. I didn't say anything though. I just told him Amie was scared of the truck though.

Edward's phone beeped loudly at that moment, and Amie stopped clapping her hands, a curious expression on her face.

"Sorry, honey," Edward said, turning the music off and answering his phone.

"Hi, Peter," he said, sounding somewhat reluctantly. I wondered if that was the Peter that he was friends with when we had dated.

"Yeah, I'm on my way… I know… Well… That's okay," Edward said, huffing and sounding upset. Then he mumbled an almost silent okay and put his phone back where it had been before it beeped. He turned on the music again, and we stayed silent for a few minutes.

His attitude changed considerably after that call, and I wondered the reason. The music continued playing in the background, but he didn't sing and gave Amie cheerful but forced answers when she asked something. I was getting more and more curious with each passing second, but I didn't want to act nosy and ask what his deal was. Apparently, Amie didn't share the same sentiment with me.

"Daddy, are you sad?" she blurted out. Edward's head jerked to us, but he immediately turned and continued driving carefully.

"No, sweetheart, what makes you think that?" Edward's voice was soft, but it was still not hard to realize that something was bothering him.

"You're not singing. You look sorry," Amie said, causing Edward to laugh geniunely.

"Okay, my friend is a little upset with me, and I feel bad. That's it. Nothing serious, baby."

"Okay, don't be sad," Amie declared seriously and then turned to busy herself with her Barbie doll.

"Is this the Peter that was your friend when you were in college?" I found myself asking all of a sudden, and then gasped my forwardness. It was cute and fine when Amie asked this kind of stuff, but it was plain nosey of me to ask.

"Yes, he is. I'm surprised that you remember," he answered, his voice light, and I breathed a sigh of relief that he obviously didn't mind me being nosy.

"You talked about him a lot." It was true. It was all Peter that, Peter this. They were the ones who got the highest grades, and they loved competing.

"Yeah, I guess," he laughed nervously.

"Is he the one that you have business with?" I asked again, already knowing the answer, but I wanted to see him suffer.

"Umm… yeah… he is," he stuttered and I surpressed a grin. He never had been able to lie, and it was obvious that hadn't changed.

"Peter is your best friend?" Amie asked, and it didn't surprise me. I knew she was listening to us even if she looked like she didn't care and played with her doll. I didn't understand the reason behind this question though.

"Yes, he is… he was, actually. And he has a son. You can meet him sometime later, and maybe you can be friends with him," Edward said, sounding excited about the idea. Amie just nodded. It took time for her to make friends and get used to people. Hence, I knew it would be difficult for her to develop a friendship with Peter's son with him living in Seattle and Amie living Forks.

"Is he four? I'm four," Amie said, scrunhing up her face, and I kissed her cheek loudly, making her shriek. My baby was too cute for words.

"I think so. Maybe three. Umm… yeah three," he said to Amie, and then muttered to himself. "I can't forget the day he was born. It was an eye opener."

I was dying to learn what he meant with that sentence, but I kept my mouth shut since I had already babbled way too much for my liking. I guess the last two weeks helped me to be that relaxed around him, yet I wasn't exactly complaining. It was a good thing that we could be friends for Amie's sake.

The rest of the drive passed with even more ridiculous songs and Amie' making up a story about a watermelon called Carl and a tiny rabbit. I was used to Amie's wild imagination, but obviously Edward wasn't since he cracked up loudly.

Three and a half hours later, I started to see all the familiar scenes of Seattle, and I felt myself getting excited. Amie looked excited too, looking out of the window and grinning. I didn't particularly love the city, but it played a huge part in my life, being the place where Amie was born and we lived for 5 years, so it was nice to see everything again. I gave the directions to Rose's apartment to Edward, and twenty minutes later, we were in front of the building.

"When do you want me to pick you up?" he asked as he handed me my small suitcase.

"Tomorrow afternoon?" I wanted to be in Forks before it got too dark, and Edward agreed with me. He kissed Amie and left, and soon we were standing in front of our former apartment. I knocked on the door, hoping that Rose was home on a Saturday afternoon, and realised that moment that we forgot to buy a cake. Before I had a chance to do or say something about it, the door swung open, revealing Rose. Her eyes grew when she saw us, and she let out a scream, throwing herself to me.

"Oh my God!" she yelled and hugged me with all her might, making breathing hard for me for a second.

"Rose, you're about to choke me to death," I mumbled and she released me, laughing loudly. "Amie, honey, I miss you lots!" she exclaimed and scooped Amie into her arms as I rubbed my neck. She ushered us inside and kicked the door shut with her leg rather gracefully. If I tried to kick the door like that when I was carrying Amie, I would most definitely fall on my ass. Some people were lucky.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, hugging me again, and causing Amie to giggle.

"Happy birthday, Rose!" Amie exclaimed, and Rose beamed at her.

"You came for my birthday?" she asked, and Amie nodded, smiling. "I love you so much, girls. That was the worst fucking birthday until you came," Rose added and ignored the glare she received from me when she cursed.

The house was still the same as we left. We ate lunch together, and it was as if we had never moved to Forks. Rose managed to make Amie laugh so much that she was gasping for air at the end of lunch, and I watched them, feeling rather content that I was able to come visit Rose. After lunch, Amie started to yawn, so I helped her to change into her PJs for a much needed nap. She normally slept in the car, but she didn't even blink her eyes with all the commotion today, so she was out like a light within a few minutes after she changed into her PJs.

When I went into the living room, Rose was waiting for me with a bottle of red wine, and I rolled my eyes.

"I can't drink, Rose. Amie…"

It was she who rolled her eyes now. "I'm not saying you have to get drunk, so don't drink if you don't want to," she said and poured herself some.

"So, how are you doing?" I asked, sitting next to her and curling my legs underneath me.

"Same old, same old," she mumbled and took a sip of her wine. "I'm working; I'm hanging out with my super hot and super gay neighbour when I'm free, and I'm missing my best friend and her gorgeous daughter."

"We miss you, too," I said, smiling. "Why did you say it was the worst birthday?"

She tossed her hair back dramatically and sighed. "Well, the only one who called me to say happy birthday was my dad. Matt stopped by for a few minutes, but he left, saying that he needed to work all day. And, I was beginning to think that you forgot too."

I laughed loudly, causing her to hit me with the cushion. She was so sensitive about birthdays. It was a big deal for her, and she hated it when someone forgot or ignored her birthday. Since I hated presents and sucked at buying presents, we had decided that we wouldn't buy each other anything on our birthdays, but we never let it pass without celebrating.

"How can you think that?" I faked offense, and she giggled into her glass.

"How did you get here anyway? Did you fly?" she asked, and I gulped, dreading the answer. I knew she would get the wrong idea, and say things that would invade my mind and drive me insane for a few days.

"Edward drove us," I mumbled and started fidgeting with the cushion she had thrown at me.

"So, you've become buddies or what?"

I refused to raise my head and see her expression, so I muttered without looking at her. "He said he has some business to attend to, so he drove us."

"Why are you acting all fucking shy, Bella? He drove you, so what?" Rose said, and I finally looked at her. "Unless there are other things you want to tell me," she added with a wicked grin and I sighed. There were so many things that I wanted to tell her, but I didn't know where to start.

"I'm getting comfortable around him, and it makes me nervous," I blurted out, and Rose snorted. "I mean, he's so sweet with Amie, and he tries damn hard not to make me uncomfortable. He even told the nurses off who were gossiping about me; he told them it was his fault, and he was the one they needed to talk about. I get so confused, Rose. I'm afraid that I'm starting to enjoy his company, and it makes me so nervous."

"Do you want my honest opinion?" Rose asked, and I nodded. I knew she would tell me what was on her mind even if I told her not to. "I think it's all about your pride. You're forgetting and forgiving him without even intending to do so, but your pride keeps getting in the way."

"It's not just that, Rose. He hurt me. So much. He can't fix it," I muttered stubbornly.

"He's already fixing it. You say yourself that you're enjoying his company. That means you don't hate him anymore, and that means he's doing something right," she said back, and I didn't know what to say.

"I can't forgive him. Maybe, we can just be friends for the sake of Amie," I said after a few minutes of silence.

"Do you believe that you can be friends with him?" she asked, looking me in the eye with suspicion.

"I think so," I answered and tried to sound certain, but there was a nagging feeling inside me that suggested otherwise. I didn't know how to be Edward's friend. He had always been Alice's older brother whom I had crushed on, and then he was my boyfriend. We had never been just friends.

"If you say so," Rose said and dropped the subject.

After that our conversation flowed easily. I was telling her about the things Amie said at Edward's house, and she cackled.

"I was so embarrassed, Rose. She asked us to get married like it was something so easy."

"She's awesome! How did Edward react?" she asked between her laughter.

"He just stayed silent with a horrified look on his face." I laughed. "Well… and he kind of looked disappointed. I don't know why."

"I think I know why. You said yourself that he says he is still in love with you," she said, patting my arm. I already knew that, but I just didn't want to acknowledge it. It was easier to ignore and push it back. There was no possibility that I would forgive him or that we would get married. He needed to accept that.

"It doesn't matter and I don't want to talk about that anymore," I groaned and Rose agreed, but not before huffing and rolling her eyes. I understood that she wanted me to acknowledge what I was feeling and come to terms with my life, but I didn't think I needed that. My life in Forks was better than I had expected, and I didn't want to think further and upset myself.

We spent the night watching a cheesy movie and eating cake, much to Amie's delight. I was surprised that Rose didn't want to do something special or extreme when she said she just wanted to stay home. Around midnight, Amie was tired from giggling and running around the house, and I went to bed with her.

The next morning we woke up to a pounding on the door, and Rose went to open the door, grumbling under her breath. When she came back, her mood was better, and she was grinning from ear to ear.

"It was Matt. He's taking us to dinner tonight," she said, clapping her hands in an Amie fashion. I had yet to meet that Matt guy, but Rose talked so much about him. "He's so much fun, Bella. You're gonna love him."

"Us?"

"Yes, us. You, me and Amie," she answered as she was walking into the kitchen.

"I can't stay for dinner, Rose. Edward is picking us up around four," I replied, and she abruptly turned to me, sulking.

"No, it's my birthday dinner, Bella Swan and you're staying. Tell him to pick you up later," she practically ordered and went back to her business as I rolled my eyes.

"We want to be in Forks before it gets dark and late. Both of us are working tomorrow, Rose." I tried to talk some sense into her, but she just continued sulking like Amie. Just as I was about to go back to living room and admit defeat, she turned to look at me with narrowed eyes.

"Maybe you can call Edward and invite him since you're starting to enjoy his company. We can have an early dinner, and you can go from there," she suggested, looking hopeful, and I couldn't say no. I didn't like that she was using the things I had said about Edward to trick me into saying yes, but I couldn't deny that she was right.

"Okay," I sighed, and she laughed smugly. "Let me call him. I'm sure he and Amie will be thrilled."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so thrilled if I were him," Rose said with an evil glint in her eyes, and I felt sorry for Edward. Who knew what was going inside her head…

* * *

**EPOV**

I felt dread and guilt deep inside me as I drove towards the hospital where Peter worked. He was right about everthing he said, and it made me feel like shit, which I didn't like in the slightest. I was sick and tired of feeling guilty and I just wanted to move on and breathe. However, I needed to make things better with Peter first.

I hadn't called him once since I had graduated, and hadn't returned his calls when he had called either. He was so shocked that I texted him and also a little bit bitter. He practically told me that he was fucking pissed at me, but I couldn't say anything back to him since Bella and Amie were in the car with me. But I was going to tell him everything.

For a few moment, Peter's call hindered me from enjoying Bella's and Amie's presence in the car, but my little girl again saved me from myself and managed to make me smile within a few seconds. When Amie asked about Peter's son, I was ashamed that I couldn't even remember the boy's face. If it wasn't for the fact that that day was a slap in the face, I wouldn't even know how old he was. I had really screwed up with Peter too, and I had to mend it. So, after I dropped my girls to Rose's, I called Peter once again and got the address.

I parked the car and headed towards hospital's cafeteria since he told me to wait for him there. I didn't have to wait, because he was sitting, drinking from a paper cup, when I entered the cafeteria. He was still the same, tall and dark haired, and his face broke into a grin when he saw me.

"I tried to be angry, but I'm too excited, Cullen," he said, patting my back, and I smiled sheepishly.

"So, you won't kill me?"

"No, I won't, but Charlotte might." I smiled, remembering how excitable Charlotte was.

"Don't tell her. I don't think I can handle her," I said, and he let out a laugh. "So… umm… I need to tell you something." I didn't know why, but I felt like I owed it to him. He put up with my grumpy ass during college days, and he was still beside me, smiling, even though I hadn't called him once since graduation, so, yeah, he deserved to know. I wanted him to know.

"I have a daughter," I blurted out, and Peter's face brightened.

"That's awesome, Edward. How old is she? Are you involved with the mother? Don't tell me you got married without telling me because I'll kill you before Charlotte," he said, and I laughed nervously.

"Amie's four," I said and watched as his eyes widened. I continued before he had a chance to say anything. "Bella's her mom, and she wants nothing to do with me."

"Wait, wait! Four? She was born when we were in school, and you didn't tell me anything? Isn't that something you share with your friends, Cullen?" His voice was cold, and his eyes showed that he was confused.

Having no other choice, I told him everything, and he listened to me, not saying anything. It felt good to get it off of my chest and tell it to someone other than my family, but I was also embarrassed. Peter was a good man who embraced his girlfriend and son and viewed them as his number one priority while I left mine… After I finished my tale, I couldn't even look at his face and just sat there, staring at the floor.

"I thought you were miserable because of a bad breakup with Bella. It's so hard to believe, I mean, you doing something like that. It's like a sick joke," he said in a shocked voice and I felt like someone slapped me. Everyone trusted me, and I let down each one of them. Yeah, it was exactly like a sick joke.

"I know. I can't change the past, but I'm trying my best to do everything right," I mumbled, and he stayed silent for a few minutes.

"She might not forgive you. You left her pregnant, Edward. I can imagine how much of a grudge she is holding against you now. Charlotte is pregnant now, and she wants to kill me even when I don't make the bed on weekends. They're scary when they're pregnant."

"Congratulations, Peter," I said, smiling, and I was really happy for him which was far too different than the reaction I gave four years ago when he had told me the exact same thing. I was really an asshole back then. However, Peter didn't say anything and didn't shout what an asshole I was, but I could see the judging and disappointed look in his eyes. It affected me more than words could.

"So, tell me about this girl of yours," he said after a weird silence, and I happily started to talk about Amie.

Peter had to work, so we couldn't sit and talk too much. I was relieved, to tell the truth, because the conversation was somewhat tense. We weren't the same guys who had graduated as best friends. I managed to ruin that too.

Peter insisted that I stay in their house, but I didn't want to impose. After bidding him goodbye, I drove through the city and had a lonely dinner. Before it got dark, I checked into a hotel. I spent the whole night listening to music, and trying to push the agonizing thoughts out of my head. The more I thought about the day and Peter, the more restless I became. I only managed to sleep after the sun rose.

The breakfast felt even lonelier than the dinner, and I found myself counting the seconds until I got the see Amie and Bella. I briefly considered going a few hours early to Rose's, but I didn't want to overwhelm Bella with my constant and annoying presence. She deserved a few peaceful hours without my sorry self hovering over her.

After breakfast, I still had nothing to do, and strolling around the streets seemed like the best idea to kill some time. I went out with the intention of buying Alice a souvenir from a shop she loved, but before I reached the shop, Peter called me and invited to lunch.

"Charlotte is going to meet us in an hour," he said as soon as he saw me entering the small bistro, and I cringed. If he had told my story to her, it was certain that I was going to listen to a tongue lashing. I opened my mouth to say something witty, but my phone beeped again with a call from Bella.

"Hi," I said, a goofy grin spreading across my face as Peter looked at me questioningly.

"Hi, Edward," Bella said sweetly, and I heard Amie's voice yelling hi to me, and this caused me to grin even broader. "I… I'm sorry if I'm intruding. Are you working or something?"

"No… I'm not… right now," I mumbled and cursed myself again for lying. I was almost certain that she caught it, and she was now rubbing it in my face.

She didn't say anything work related after and I breathed a sigh of relief. It could get ugly. And then she invited me to Rose's birthday dinner. I knew she only invited me because I drove them, and it was more convenient if we drove from the restaurant. But it still made me excited. I somehow felt accepted even if I didn't deserve it in the slightest bit. I promised that I would be there and I ended the call, still grinning, under Peter's questioning gaze.

"What's with the grin?" he asked as soon as I put my phone back into my pocket, and I chuckled.

"Bella invited me to an early dinner. Actually, I need to go now, " I said, looking at my watch which showed 3 pm. Peter's expression changed from amused to weary in one second, and I immediately understood that ditching Peter wouldn't be good.

"Okay, if you need to go," he said, smiling, but it was obvious that he was offended. Of course, he was offended… I hadn't called the guy for ages, and the only time I called him was because I needed to stalk Bella to Seattle. I guess I would be offended too.

"Why don't you pick up Charlotte and join us?" I asked before my mind could comprehend what I was saying. I immediately regretted asking him before asking Bella or even worse Rose, but it was too late to take it back.

"Yeah, that's a good idea. I want to meet this Bella and your girl," he said, smiling as I prayed that Rose wouldn't kill me for inviting strangers to her birthday dinner.

Peter went home to pick up Charlotte, and I drove to the restaurant where we were going to meet. By the time I arrived, my heart was in my throat, and my hands, which I was constantly wiping on my jeans, were clammy. I searched through the garden, and my eyes landed on Amie's jumping form. She was smiling adorably, and her hair was swirling around her as she jumped in front of a man. A man? Who the hell was he? And why was my girl was playing with him like he was her old buddy or something?

Then the man leaned towards Bella and tucked a strand of her hair into her hair clip. Bella smiled at him, blushing into a soft red, and the man grinned. I saw red. I had never wanted to use violence so much in my life before. I took a deep breath to calm myself down, because I was about to go and choke that asshole to death. She was mine!

The sight of my girls having a good time with a man hurt so fucking much, and I knew at that moment that I would die rather than to see Bella with some other man. I had to gain her trust back. I just had to be with her… I forced myself to break my gaze and approached them with heavy steps. Amie was the first one to see me, and she dropped the man's hand the second our eyes met.

"Daddy!" She practically threw herself at me, and I grabbed her smiling.

"I missed you, baby," I whispered, breathing her scent as she snuggled into me.

Amie ordered that she wanted to walk, and I put her down. She grabbed my hand, and as she dragged me to the table, Bella and Rose also saw me. Bella gave me a beautiful smile that made me forget that I was upset for a few seconds, and Rose just grimaced at me. Well, this night would surely be interesting.

"Hi, Bella, Rose."

"Well hello, Edward," Rose said, smiling, but I was sure there was something to that smile. She looked far too nice. "Meet Matt." She gestured to the stupid man, and I grudgingly turned to look at him. He gave me a big smile that only made me want to break his nose.

"Hi, Edward," he said in an overly polite tone, and stuck his hand out to me. I stared at his hand for a few seconds and heard Rose snorting. I accepted his hand and shook it forcefully. He just grinned at me though.

"Matt is so funny, and he'll make me a princess dress," Amie chirped, climbing into my lap. Princess dress? Who the hell did he think he was? I could make her one too… Well, I could buy one for her, actually.

"Your daddy isn't as funny as you told me, Amie," the Matt guy said, and the only thing that kept me from punching him was Amie sitting on my lap.

"He's funny," Amie exclaimed. "He makes me laugh so much, and he's handsome," she said,and I couldn't help but smile smugly.

"Well, he indeed is," Matt said, smirking, and Rosalie's loud snort turned into laughter this time. I didn't understand though. What the hell did he mean? Was he making fun of me? Okay, maybe my hair color was a little weird, and my nose was crooked, but I never had difficulty in attracting ladies. I was about to open my mouth to save my manly pride, but a woman's loud voice was heard at that moment.

"Edward Anthony Cullen!"

Shit! I forgot to tell Rose about Charlotte and Peter, and it was too late now. I stood up and put Amie on her feet, turning to look at Charlotte and Peter. However, before I had a chance to say anything, Charlotte launched herself into my arms and started to babble loudly. Oh God, I forgot how annoying she could be sometimes…

"Edward! I'm so happy to see you again. This idiot refuses to tell me anything other than you were in Seattle," she said, breaking our awkward hug and gesturing to Peter. "So, here I am, and you look like you actually sleep and eat now unlike the last years in school. I'm so happy that you let it go. Everyone has break ups, but it's important to see the good in life and go on, right?" She beamed at me, and her gaze traveled to Bella, who was gaping at Charlotte now. "Oh my God, isn't she Bella? Are you guys together again?" Charlotte shrieked, and I threw a helpless glance at Peter, who looked as helpless as me.

"Excuse me, do I know you?" Bella asked sweetly, and Charlotte gave her a big grin. I was about to open my mouth and stop her, but she was way faster than me.

"Oh, I'm Peter's wife, and I'm so happy that you're together with Edward again. He was absolutely miserable without you. He never dated, and one time he drank too-"

"Charlotte, enough," Peter said firmly and whispered something in her ear. Charlotte gasped audibly and threw me a guilty look. But all I cared about at that moment was Bella's large, tearful eyes which were looking at me with a weird expression.

Well, thank you, Charlotte…

* * *

Hi!

Thank you so much for reading!:) Please let me know what you think:)

And I also want to thank everyone who read and reviewed last chapter. You guys made me smile!:)

And I want to thank my beta for fixing this chapter!

Have a nice day!


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

**BPOV**

_Oh my God, isn't she Bella? Are you guys together again?_

_He never dated, and one time he drank too-_

Who the hell was she? Well, I knew she was Peter's wife, but how the hell did she know so much about my relationship with Edward?

I didn't want to feel confused… I hated being confused. I just wanted to leave all that drama behind, and be Edward's friend for Amie's sake. I didn't want to hurt anymore, and it was the safest solution I could come up with. But then, she had to open her mouth and ruin every resolution I had made. Did she even know why we broke up in the first place? I had a feeling she didn't…

I felt myself coming close to crying, but I refused to cry in front of strangers. It was a hard thing to do though. My emotions were all over the place, and all I wanted to do was hug Amie and cry.

I took a deep breath and looked at Edward, who looked on the verge of a panic attack. Then my eyes landed on Charlotte who was beet red and clutching Peter's arm.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. Really, oh God…" she mumbled and ducked her head.

"Charlotte, why don't we go to bathroom? You looked flushed, honey," Peter said gently, giving me a apologetic smile to which I could only nod in return. I sat down as soon as they went inside the bathroom and Edward was by my side in a second.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. She knows nothing. She just talks. She's harmless though. I'm sorry if she upset you. She didn't know. I told Peter, but-"

"Cullen?" Rose interrupted Edward's rambling, and Edward gulped, causing me to crack a smile in spite of the situation. He really seemed to be afraid of Rose. "Why are those people here?"

"Rose, umm, I… well… I was going to eat lunch with Peter, but then Bella called. I couldn't say no to her, but Peter looked a little angry, so I invited them without thinking. I'm so sorry for ruining your birthday," he said in one breath, sounding scarily like a male version of Alice.

"You could've stayed with your friend," I mumbled, and his face fall.

"I'm sorry, Bella. We can go to another place, and then I can come and pick you up," he said, misunderstanding what I was trying to say, and stood up. My hand grasped his out of pure instinct, and I felt that familiar energy tingling all over my arm.

"I didn't mean it that way. I mean, you didn't have to come here. You could have stayed with your best friend and caught up. Amie and me aren't going anywhere," I said and watched a big grin dominate his face.

"Well, I just wanted to see Amie…umm and you," he said, sheepishly scratching his neck, and I smiled, feeling my face getting hotter.

"Okay, stop flirting," Rose sang, making me want to punch her in that exact moment. We were not flirting! "So, Cullen, I guess I can forgive you this time, because Amie looks so happy that you're here," she said, and both Edward and I turned to look at Amie who was happily munching fries and playing with flowers that she picked from the grass. She caught us looking at her, and she gave us a toothy grin. "But, I'm curious, what happened that one time you drank too much?" Rose asked, and I felt Edward tense next to me.

I was curious as hell to tell the truth. I had always thought that he hadn't given a shit about me when we were apart, and now hearing that he had been actually suffering too was making me feel a little better. It may sound cruel, or stupid, but he was the one who left, and it felt good to hear that I was not the only one who had suffered because of his mistake.

"It's not important," Edward mumbled, looking at Amie and refusing to look at Rose.

"Come on!" Rose insisted and ignored the dirty glare I sent to her. "Matt isn't a stranger. You can talk. We all knew what you did, so it wouldn't hurt to hear how you spent your time. It may even feel good to hear your pitiful stories," Rose said, giving Edward a menacing smile and making me gasp. She told Matt? Okay, it was no secret that he left me, but she shouldn't have told Matt before asking me.

Edward's ears were getting red, and his knuckles were white from gripping the table. Rose was pushing it again for the hunderedth time today. First, she wanted Edward to think that Matt was interested in me, and she sicced Matt on Edward even though I refused to play along. Seeing Edward worked up and jealous was funny though, considering that Matt was more into him than he was into me. But now, Rose was crossing the line. She just didn't have to ask such things in front of a stranger, and Amie was playing so close to us.

"What?" she asked and I gave her an even dirtier look. "Why are you looking at me like that? What did I say?"

"Look, Rose, we don't need to talk about those things now," I practically groaned, but she ignored me and the restless looking Matt who was sitting next to her.

"Come on, Bella. Geez, okay," she whined dramatically, and then sent a death glare to Edward. I knew that she didn't like him, and she was even angrier than usual because of the guests he invited. Still she was not acting normal.

"I drank too much, then I shaved my head, and cut myself in the process. Peter found me passed out in front of our apartment."

"What?" I gasped at the same time Rose asked with a weird expression. "So, you pulled a Britney, huh?"

"Rose!" I yelled, looking at Edward. I couldn't take my eyes off him for some unknown reason. Was he that miserable? I had always imagined him having fun and dating and living his life while I lied in my bed. It was so bad when I was pregnant. My mind had come up with every scenario that starred Edward having fun and those thoughts turned me into a sobbing mess until Amie was born. When she was born, I was a little resentful that she got his eyes, and the scenarios came back painfully, making me miserable once again. But, with time, I got over them, and I learned to live without torturing myself. I never thought he was as miserable as me though.

Rose opened her big mouth to say something, but Peter and Charlotte's arrival cut her off. Charlotte's face was white, and her eyes were puffy. She gave me an apologetic smile as Peter helped her sit down, and then she shyly averted her gaze.

"How far along are you?" I asked to break the ice, and she instantly smiled. She reminded me so much of Alice with that expression, and I smiled in return.

"Five months. I'm having so much trouble this time. It wasn't like that with Nathan," she blurted in one breath, making Edward chuckle nervously.

"You still talk too much, Charlotte, but I missed you," Edward said, and Charlotte gave him an embarrassed smile.

"Well, I'm sorry for that. I didn't know, and I wouldn't have said anything if I knew. I'm shutting the hell up now," she mumbled "Oh, and happy birthday, by the way."

Rose's returning smile was big, and from that second atmosphere improved. It was not an overly friendly conversation, but it wasn't so awkward either. Moreover, Rose seemed to be enjoying herself, so that was all that mattered. Charlotte was indeed a lovely woman who just happened to like talking too much, and Peter was the polar opposite of her. Calm, collected and nice. He even tried to engage poor Matt, who looked so out of everything, into conversation. I was sure Matt was shocked that everything happened so quickly and then calmed down with the same quickness. Edward was still glaring at him, though. That made me feel a little giddy, to tell the truth.

Charlotte and Peter stood up, saying that they didn't want to impose any longer, and left even before our food was served. Even though Charlotte caused me a lot of complication and told me a lot of things that would keep my mind busy, I was still glad that I met them. Our food arrived soon after, and Amie skipped to our table with a wondering expression on her face.

"I wonder what she's going to blurt now?" Edward whispered into my ear, and I couldn't restrain myself from leaning towards his warm breath.

"Daddy, can I ask something?" Amie said exactly two minutes later, and Edward gave me a knowing grin.

"Yes, honey."

"Why was your friend's tummy so big? She has a baby in there? Like my mom had me in her tummy?" she asked sweetly, causing Rose and Matt laugh. Edward gave a hard look at Matt before turning to Amie, and Rose tried to hide her snickers under a cough. She was playing with Edward tonight, and she was liking it.

"Yes, she has a baby girl in there," he replied, smoothing her hair out.

"Mom can't have a baby boy in her tummy?" she asked again, and I groaned. I knew we hadn't seen the end of that conversation, but it would be better if she chose another time, preferably a time when there wasn't a stranger and a big mouthed best friend with us.

"We told you, Amie. Friends don't have babies, and we're just friends."

Amie pondered Edward's answer with a furrowed expression, and then nodded, turning her attention to the chicken nuggets. I breathed in relief and smiled at Edward for acting quickly and not letting her talk about it more. It could have been much more awkward.

"That doesn't mean she won't have any siblings. One day, one of you could get married, and she could have siblings," Rose said in a loud tone, and Edward stiffened.

"Don't say such things around Amie, Rose, for God's sake! She's already asking so many questions," I whisper yelled, surprised by how thoughtless she was acting tonight.

"She is so engrossed in her meal, and I was not loud," she replied in a childlike voice. "And, I'm right. You are both single. She needs to get used to the idea."

"Rose, can you come to the bathroom with me?" I spat, standing and she followed me smirking.

"How can you expect her to get used to the idea when I can't even get used to it?" I asked the second we entered the bathroom, and she smiled widely.

"I'm just messing with Edward," she sang, and I gaped at her. "What? It's so nice to see him squirm. He tries to act cool, but if looks could kill, Matt would be dead right now."

"I told you not to do anything, Rose. It could get ugly. And Amie is here, " I said and turned on the faucet to splash some water on my constant blush.

"Come on, Bella. It's harmless. I assure you that Amie didn't hear a thing. And you learned that he was as miserable as you. Drinking, shaving…" she said, grinning.

"It's not something to be happy or smug about, Rose. He said he cut himself. It could have been worse," I groaned and she huffed, rolling her eyes.

"But, he didn't. He's fine. I'm sorry if I upset you. I just want to make him sweat a little. He should see that you're precious and you've got other options, and that he has to work for it. That's it."

"Whatever, Rose, this is just nonsense. He doesn't need to work, because we'll never be together," I said, and she laughed.

"Yeah, right," she said sarcastically. "And, he's so hot when he's jealous, Bella." She giggled, and I blushed, already knowing this. I didn't want Rose to know that, but I kind of liked it when he hovered over me and Amie, glaring at Matt. I was so pathetic.

We turned to our table only to find Edward shooting daggers at an uncomfortable looking Matt. Rose elbowed me softly, grinning at the scene, while I just wanted to make it stop. Okay, it was hot, but it was hot when it wasn't too much. Edward didn't need to kill the poor guy. This was all Rose's fault.

"Hey," I said, sitting next to him, and his vicious eyes found mine.

"When are we heading back home, Bella?" he muttered, making me really wonder what happened.

Checking my watch, I saw that it was later than I actually intended to head back. "Really soon, I guess."

Ten minutes later, we were in front of the restaurant, and Rose and Matt were saying goodbye as Edward was buckling Amie up.

"Thank you for coming. I love you," Rose said while giving me a bone crushing hug. "I'm sorry if I made Edward upset, but it was fun to watch."

"You are not sorry, Rose, but I love you too," I said, and she grinned.

I turned to Matt, trying to ignore Edward's burning gaze on me, but it was really difficult. "It was so nice meeting you, Matt."

Matt ignored or didn't see my hand, and he gave me a hug instead of shaking it. If it wasn't for the fact that he was gay, I would find it creepy. He was so comfortable with Rose that it was shocking at first, but then he acted really comfortable around me too, and I got used to it as the day passed.

"Sorry, I made your man freak out," he whispered into my ear gently, stroking my back at the same time.

"You're still making him freak out, and he's not my man," I muttered, wriggling out of his arms. He just gave me a toothy grin, and then waved at Edward who was turning red. It was kind of flattering that he was getting so jealous, but I didn't want him to be grumpy around me. We were just becoming friendly around each other, and I didn't want this night to ruin it just because Rose wanted to have some fun. We at least needed to be able to stand each other since we saw each other almost everyday.

We got in the car soon after, and Amie started babbling almost immediately.

"Can we go to Daddy's house, momma?"

I groaned mentally and answered as sweetly as I could. "We can't, honey. We need to go home and wash you up, and then put you bed. Aren't you tired?"

"No," she whined, bouncing in her seat. "Can't Daddy come with us?"

I didn't know what to say to this. Today was an extremely awkward day, and I was not sure if I wanted to be around Edward or not. Amie's begging gaze was so strong though.

"He can come if he wants to," I answered, and Amie squealed in delight.

"Will you, Daddy? Pleeasee!" she shouted at the top of her little lungs, making me chuckle.

"Okay, princess," he responded with a fake cheery voice, but I was the only one who noticed. Amie nodded happily and continued babbling about Rose and how pretty her hair was. Edward gave answers when she asked something, but other than that he stayed silent.

The ride passed in an overly irritating silence. Trying to kill time by talking to Amie wasn't even an option, because she fell asleep an hour later. The only sound was the car's engine and the soft music coming from the radio. I was dying to ask something, especially something about the things Charlotte had said, but I just couldn't. By the time we arrived in Forks, I was about to die from boredom and curiosity.

"Do you still want me to come? She's sleeping," Edward asked in a nervous tone as I was gathering Amie into my arms.

"Sure. I'll wake her up for a bath anyway. She'll ask for you," I said, giving him a smile. He gave me one in return, but there was something behind it.

"Okay then, I'll stay," he said, and we entered the house.

* * *

**EPOV**

I wanted to go my apartment and drown myself in my misery. It was what I deserved, not to be with those two beautiful girls. They could have anyone they wanted, and anyone would be better than me.

Matt would be better than me… As much as I wanted to kill that asshole for even looking at Bella and Amie, there was no question that he would be better than me. However, there was no way that he could love Bella as much as I did. My love didn't lessen in the past five years; actually it grew with the pain and shame I had been feeling. Now that she was back in my life, I was feeling the love stronger than ever.

And Amie. There were just no words to describe how she made me feel. Feeling such a big love for such a tiny person… Knowing that I made her with Bella and she was a part of both of us was staggering. I knew deep inside me that I could love no one more than I loved Amie. I was hers and she was mine until the day I died.

But, Bella wasn't… She could just tell me to fuck off and run into the arms of another man. She was utterly beautiful, and any man would be stupid not to see that. Obviously, Matt was not a stupid man. The way she blushed when he touched her hair… The way he made Amie laugh… Those images were in my mind during the entire ride, making me want to throw up.

On top of that, there was Charlotte. I couldn't understand Bella's reaction to what Charlotte had said, and it was confusing me to no end. She looked so sad and broken, but then she was yelling at Rose, protecting me, and then acting and laughing like nothing was bothering her. Maybe, it really wasn't bothering her… I knew that she decided long ago that I was not worth it, and maybe now, she found someone who was. Even the thought of that made my stomach turn, and I felt the urge to throw up or cry.

"Are you okay, Edward? You look so pale."

Bella's voice brought me back to realitly, and I looked at her worried eyes.

"I'm good. Just a little tired," I lied. She gave me a sceptical look, but didn't press.

"I'm going to wake her up now so that we can give her a bath. She'll love that you'll be with her," she said smiling. She dropped Amie gently on the bed, and I felt a feeling of contentment and love inside me. They were so beautiful and so innocent together.

It turned out that waking up Amie was harder than Bella thought. She cried for ten minutes, and then snuggled into my chest for another nap. Bella was adamant though. When I suggested that we just let Amie sleep, she gave me a mean glare.

"She's dirty. She played on grass all day long. And if she wakes up at the crack of the dawn, she'll make me get up too."

After that, I gave up and tried to wake Amie up instead. When she finally woke up, she tried to ignore both of us by sulking, but Bella lured her into the bathroom with a juicebox, and she was jumping around in five minutes.

"Can you help Amie take her clothes off as I fill the tub?" Bella asked, and then went into the bathroom leaving me with an overly active Amie, who was looking at me as if she was questioning my mental health.

"Don't you like baths?" she asked suddenly as she tried to take off her shoes. I kneeled down to help her.

"No, I love baths," I answered, taking off her little red socks.

"You look sad, and I thought you didn't like baths. Riley says boys don't like baths."

"Well, it's his problem if Riley likes being dirty," I said a bith harsher than I intended, and I heard Bella giggling. First, Riley and then Matt… Those morons around my girls were driving me crazy.

"I don't like being dirty," Amie announced sweetly, and I kissed her head.

"Yes, baths are good. Now, come here," Bella yelled, and Amie ran to the bathroom, leaving me behind. I grabbed her white fluffy robe and followed her.

The bath process was more detailed than I could ever imagine. First, Bella let Amie play with her dolls and toys a little, and then they had a brief argument about which shampoo to use. Amie wanted Bella's, claiming that it smelled nicer, but Bella used Amie's baby shampoo. Amie threw a little fit about that and tried to get out of the tub, splashing water on me at the same time. Both of their eyes widened comically, looking at my wet face and shirt, and then they both erupted into a fit of giggles. I tried to keep a stern face to mess with Amie a little, but I couldn't help but laugh too.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," Amie choked out, and I leaned into kiss her nose.

"Not a problem. Just use that, okay?" I asked, motioning the baby shampoo, and she nodded solemnly.

Half an hour later, she was dry and dressed as she lay on her small bed, demanding a story from me.

"Can you read the one we bought together?" she asked sleepily, and Bella gave me the book.

"She loves that book," she said, smiling and then left the room.

I read the story which was about a rabbit, but Amie still wasn't asleep at the end of it.

"You don't like it?" I asked, thinking of another way to make her sleep.

"I love it because you gave it to me," she said shyly and my heart felt like it was going to burst open with joy.

"I can buy you other books if you like," I offered, stroking her hair, and thinking that Bella wouldn't be upset about that.

She nodded and grasped my hand. We just stayed silent in her dark room, and she gripped my hand until she fell asleep. When her breathing changed, I gently took my hand back and dropped a kiss to her forehead.

I went downstairs and found Bella watching TV and sipping from a mug. When she saw me she put the mug on the coffee table and stood up.

"Do you want some coffee?" she asked almost shyly, and my poor heart skipped a beat.

"Charlie?" I asked lamely, feeling like a teenager, and wondering why she was asking me to stay at the same time.

"Oh, he texted me. He's spending the night at Sue's tonight, and I really don't want to think about that," she said, her cute eyebrows frowning, and I let out a loud laugh for the first time today.

"I think it's good that he has a love life," I said and was awarded with a breathtaking smile.

"Yes, I'm so happy for him. He was so lonely."

Our eyes fixed on each other's after that, and we stayed like that for a few seconds. I was lonely… She was too… We were lonely.

"Umm… so, coffee?" she asked nervously, and I nodded, sitting down. She flew to the kitchen and came back within two minutes with a steaming mug in her hands, and it was just like I loved it. It made my pathetic heart do a little dance that she still remembered how I took my coffee.

"Thanks, Bella," I said, as she sat down at the other end of the couch. She was even sitting on the same couch as me. Well, really, what the hell was happening?

We sat a few minutes, sipping our coffees in silence, and I was getting restless. Today left me with a lot of questions, but I was afraid that Bella would get upset if I asked them. I just needed to say something though.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry," we both said at the same time, and then both let out a nervous chuckle.

"Why are you sorry?" I asked. She had nothing to be sorry for. Unless, she had a thing with Matt and… Oh, God! That was why she asked me to stay and have coffee. She was going to break the news. The resentment and pain was strong, but I forced my eyes and face to stay neutral as she started speaking.

"About Matt," she said, and I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. She really was going to say what I thought. "I just met him, and I'm sorry if he said something to upset you. He's actually a nice guy," she continued, and all the hope that she could forgive me one day vanished with those words.

"He just said he thinks you're utterly lovely and perfect," I muttered, forcing myself to say the words. Truer words were never said, but the fact that it was a guy saying them about Bella made me see red for a few seconds in the restaurant. "I got jealous. I'm sorry," I said, seeing no reason to hide that from her. She already knew that I still loved her. "I'm sorry if I did something stupid, or ruined your relationship, or-"

"What relationship?" she cut me off, amusement evident in her voice.

"Well, you looked like you were flirting when I first came. And I caught the two of you staring each other," I mumbled like a kid who was about to give away his favorite toy, and she laughed.

"Well, you got it all wrong," she said, still laughing, and the hope that vanished came back quickly. "I'm sorry because Rose sicced him on you. She just wanted you to suffer a little. Matt doesn't like me. I don't like Matt. Period," she said, and I couldn't help but crack an enormous smile.

"We have a kid together, and it's only reasonable that we tell each other when we have a relationship with someone, right?" she asked, and I nodded enthusiastically, still high that she didn't like that Matt guy. "So, when I have a relationship, I'll tell you. You don't have to track the clues," she added, and the high I was feeling was quickly replaced with dread. Just because she didn't like Matt didn't mean that she wouldn't like another asshole.

"What are you sorry for?" she asked, and I took a deep breath, trying to push that horrible thought out of my mind.

"For Charlotte. I didn't know that she was going to act like that. I'm sorry if she made you feel uncomfortable," I said, and her posture and expression changed visibly.

"It's okay. Um… it was actually nice… you know… learning that you suffered. Shit! That sounded like I'm a bitch," she said and laughed nervously. "I mean, it felt nice to know that you weren't out there partying while I cried myself to sleep every night," she said in one breath and then blushed an extreme red.

"I'm sorry I made you cry every day," I muttered, looking at the mug that was in my hands, and heard her scooting towards me.

"Hey, I didn't say that to make you feel horrible," she said, placing a hand on my shoulder, and my body rejoiced at the contact. "I was just trying to tell you that I'm surprised."

"I suffered too," I admitted quietly. "I'm sure it wasn't as much as I caused you to, but I felt the pain every day. I was so fucking repentant. I wanted to call you every second, but I figured that you wanted nothing to do with me. Then, Peter had his baby, and I was crushed. I thought I killed mine, and it fucking killed me," I said, and Bella gasped loudly. "I lived four years thinking of myself as a murderer, and it started to kill me slowly. You stopped me from dying when you moved back to Forks, Bella. You saved me from myself by keeping Amie."

Her eyes were filled with tears as she gazed at me, and I savoured the beauty of her face and eyes. "You're not a murderer," she choked out, and I closed my eyes.

"Because of you," I answered, as she sniffed. "But for all intenses and purposes, I was a murderer. Maybe, still am."

Bella's face hardened and she slapped my shoulder hard. "Don't say such things. You left me when I needed you the most. You told me to get rid of her. Yes, those are awful things. Yes, they hurt too much, but you love her so much now, Edward. I'm sure you would love her if you had seen her the moment she was born," she whispered sadly, and I couldn't help the tear that fell from my left eye.

"I didn't see her the day she was born. I didn't see you when you were pregnant. I wasn't with you when you had morning sickness. Even if I'm not a murderer, I'm not the greatest person on the planet. I'm a fucking asshole," I grunted, and she put her hands each side of my neck, making me breathe faster.

"Yes, that happened, and we can't change that now. We need to move forward for the sake of Amie. We need to try to be friends, Edward. Please," she begged me with wide, innocent eyes.

Our faces were so close, and I could feel her sweet breath on my face. It was intoxicating, and I wanted to be even closer to her. She said we needed to be friends, and maybe that was the best thing to do, but I didn't want to be just friends.

"I love you, Bella," I whispered, and she closed her eyes, letting out a little moan. "I fucking love you. I can't be your friend," I said, and pressed my lips to hers without thinking what it would mean.

* * *

Hello! I'm soo sorry for updating this late. I had some problems about school, but all is clear now and I'm so happy:) After moping and crying for days, I learned that I've been accepted:) I'm a media arts (grad school) student now:) I'm freaking excited!:)

I want to thank everyone who reviewed last chapter. I couldn't reply your reviews, because I was so busy with worrying and paper work and etc. But it won't happen again. You're all amazing, and your kind words encourage me to write more. So, thank you...

Lastly, I want to thank my beta for fixing this chapter super fast. THANK YOU:)

Please let me know what you think:)

Have an awesome day!

-E


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

**BPOV**

Nothing was easy in my life… Why would this time be different?

One moment, we were sitting and having a conversation, and then the next moment…

_Push him! Slap him! Show him that's not acceptable!_

My reasonable side shouted at me, and for a moment I was just about to listen to it. But then, he pressed his lips just a little harder, and the voice of my reasonable side started to evaporate. He didn't move his lips. He just pressed them to mine, but it was more than enough. The feel of his lips on mine started to slowly capture all my interest and senses that I couldn't focus on staying calm and doing what was right. I could only sit and let him kiss me.

And letting him was a bad decision… So freaking bad, because sitting there like a statue during the seconds that Edward pressed his lips to mine caused me to remember what it was like to be with him, kiss him, love him freely without hurting… I remembered what it was like with Edward before everything was ruined… I wanted to kiss him back so badly. I wanted to stroke his hair, and kiss him back with abandon. Moreover, I realised that I missed him… So much… And my heart still ached and raced… It hurt to realise, but my heart was still his, even if he had hurt me and broken me so carelessly. My stupid heart beat so harshly as I inhaled his scent. I missed being with him like that, careless and happy…

I wasn't that careless girl though… The day Edward had left, denying his own kid, that girl died. Yes, his lips made me feel the same thrill, but I was not naive enough to think that a kiss and my stupid feelings would make everything right.

I didn't need to do anything, because Edward pulled back a few seconds later with a guilty expression on his face. A part of me wanted his lips on mine again, but I needed to be reasonable, not sentimental.

"I'm sorry," he croaked out, and I nodded not knowing what to say. What would I say anyway? _I want to kiss you so badly, but I can't because it's not a good idea. _I shouldn't have wanted to kiss him in the first place. It was all kinds of wrong.

"Bella," he said when I didn't say anything back, and I raised my head to look into his burning eyes. "I… I don't know what came over to me. I know you don't want that, but I just… shit," he mumbled.

I didn't know what came over me either. I should have been slapping him and kicking him out, but all I could do was stare at his lips and try to fight the obnoxious burning feeling inside me. It was so wrong of me to still have feelings for him, but I couldn't deny them at that moment. They were so powerful, so raw… I missed him… I… well… I still felt something for him… Even if it was so stupid of me to have feelings for a man who I didn't even know anymore, I just did.

"You shouldn't have done that," I finally whispered, and he let out a breath.

"I know... I know. I just…" he groaned and grabbed my hand hesitantly. He didn't need to be hesitant though. I didn't have the power to fight at that moment. His kiss ruined every single resolution I had made about not loving him… It destroyed everything for me, and I didn't know what to do from now on.

"Look, I can't be your friend. I never was a friend. I've always loved you," he continued with a strangled voice. "When I saw you laughing with that Matt guy, I just wanted to kill him. I know I'll want to kill any guy I see next to you. Friends don't feel like that."

"We can't," I said, even if I wasn't sure about it anymore. Could we? Could I forgive him? Realising that I still had feelings for him didn't change the fact that he had left me. It didn't lessen the pain I had felt. It just… I didn't even know if it was a good or bad thing. It just complicated everything. "We can be just friends for the sake of Amie. You should do it for Amie."

I was aware that I was playing dirty, but I just didn't know what to do or say. Maybe he was right; we couldn't be friends, but we couldn't be more either… He sighed and stood up, and surprisingly I just wanted to hold onto his hand and make him stay.

"I'll do everything for Amie, but not this. It's not in my power. I love you. I can't pretend and be just a friend," he said and took a step towards the door, and for some unknown stupid reason, my eyes watered.

"Why are you making this difficult? Don't say stuff like that. You know we can't be more! It can't be mended!" I yelled to gain his attention, and he turned back to me with wide eyes. Guilt was apparent on his face as he walked towards me.

"Bella, Amie's asleep," he warned and sat next to me. "I know, but I just hope, maybe you can find it inside you to forgive me. I guess, I'm fooling myself. I won't say anything to upset you or make it difficult again, okay?" he whispered, wiping my wet cheeks, not knowing he was making it even more difficult now.

I sniffed embarrassingly loudly, and nodded. I didn't have anything else to say. The situation was pathetic. Edward didn't say another word and left soon after, leaving me crazy with thoughts.

That night was a nightmare. I didn't fall asleep until five in the morning, and even then I forced myself to sleep. All I could think about were Edward's lips and the possibilities. We had lost some pretty good ones, but what if we had other ones awaiting us? How can someone be sure about something like that?

I was groggy and disoriented when I woke up at seven o'clock to go to school. Thank God, it was the last week before summer break, and then I would be able to sleep all I wanted. Well, not all I wanted since Amie had a tendency to wake up at the crack of dawn.

That week dragged slowly, making me even more miserable. Edward came to see Amie everyday, and I hid in my room like the coward I was when Dad or Sue was with them. I saw him three times in total, and each of them made my heart stutter pathetically. He looked even more haggard every time I saw him, and I felt the urge to go and ask him what was wrong. By the end of the week, I was about to go crazy with questions and frustration.

Saturday morning was hectic with Rose's surprising visit, and Amie's tantrum about what she wanted to wear. After hugging Rose and giving her breakfast, I followed Amie to our room obediently. I sometimes wondered who was the parent in our relationship. She always made me listen to her.

"I need to be pretty today," she said smiling, and Rose sat on my bed, chuckling.

"You're always pretty. Even in the mornings," Rose said, and I rolled my eyes. They loved to flatter each other.

"Daddy said we're going to eat pizza outside at night," Amie said, ignoring Rose's comment, and started to rummage through her clothes, not caring about the fact that I was the one who spent so much time washing and folding them.

"So you need something fancy yet casual?" Rose asked, and Amie looked at her with wide eyes, obviously not understanding. "How about a dress and some flat shoes?"

This time Amie nodded, and they chose something for Amie as I folded up the shirts Amie had thrown on the floor. Fifteen minutes later, she was ready, and I begged Rose to follow Amie outside, not having the courage to see Edward that early in the morning. Rose gave me a skeptical look but didn't say anything, much to my relief.

When I heard Edward's car leave, I went downstairs to make some coffee and Rose cornered me in the kitchen.

"Spill," she simply ordered and shoveled half of the remaining bagel into her mouth.

"Spill what?"

She gave me a look, chewing quickly and swallowing. "Are you kidding me? You were all buddy buddy last week, and now you're avoiding him at all costs. Not to mention, he looks like a green eyed corpse."

"Does he look bad?" I asked, immediately feeling guilty, and Rose rolled her eyes.

"He looked like he didn't sleep, and he asked me about you. Such a courageous move," she snickered and I wanted to hit her with something. What did she do now?

"What did you say to him?"

"Chill out. I didn't scare him away. I felt sorry for him. I told him you're okay," she answered, grabbing an apple and going into the living room.

Just when I thought she forgot and I could wash the dishes in peace, she yelled, "Come here and tell me what the fuck happened, Bella."

After I caved in and told her everything, she focused on me for a few seconds, and then shook her head before talking.

"So, he kissed you?

"Yep."

"And, you didn't slap him or tell him to go fuck himself?"

"Nope, I didn't."

"And you realised that you missed him and still have feelings for his sorry ass?"

"Unfortunately, yeah."

"But, you're avoiding him like he has the plague?"

"Yep."

"God, what's wrong with you?" she yelled, and I jumped on my seat.

"What's wrong with me? Do you expect me to throw myself at him just because I still have some stupid feelings for him?" I said, glaring at her, and she sighed.

"Bella, you're amazing, but you are thick when it comes to relationships," she said, and I gasped. "I know I can't understand how he had made you feel and how much he had hurt you even though I was with you in every step. But I can surely say that you seem so much better now that he's around and trying to make it right. You're smiling, blushing, looking alive, and he looks at you so lovingly. It's so obvious that he's regretting what he did, and it's so obvious that he loves you. You say you have feelings for him too. You can't solve this by avoiding him, honey," she said softly and took a large bite of her apple, ruining all the soft effect of her sentimental speech.

"I can't forgive him," I managed to say, swallowing and not believing the truth of that statement as fiercly as I used to.

"Don't think I'm Team Edward or something. I'm totally Team Bella, but why? You were acting like a goddamn high school girl, giggling and blushing and shit next to him last weekend, Bella. I think you're just scared."

Yes, I was so scared, but anyone would be.

"Anyone would be," I mumbled lamely, and she gave me a comforting smile.

"Yes, you're right, but if you continue to avoid him because of your fear, you'll gain nothing. It has been five years. A normal person would have moved on in five years. I would have started to date and forgotten about that asshole, but you can't. If he's the one for you, and he's begging you to give him one more chance, why not?"

"When did you become a love guru?" I laughed weakly, and she shrugged.

"The fact that I'm sucking at relationships doesn't mean I don't know about love, and I love human psychology, especially yours. It's so entertaining." She grinned as I snatched her apple out of her hands.

"I don't know what to do, Rose," I sighed.

"Try to see him, and don't let your pride and fear get in the way. Believe me, you'd rather be happy and pregnant with Edward's babies, than be scared and proud twenty years from now."

I was about to open my mouth and protest, but she didn't listen. "Oh, come on, we both know you won't look at any other guy for the rest of your life. Five years is the proof."

She had a point. It was possible that I would become a lonely, bitter old lady who lived with her cats twenty years from now. From the moment I had started to have feelings for the opposite sex, it was always Edward for me. A bunch of guys had asked me out in the past five years; Rose had tried to set me up with someone more than once, but I just didn't feel anything for them. It was always Edward…

"Asshole," I grumbled under my breath and Rose chuckled.

"You loooove that asshole. Seriously, don't be so scared. Just think about it. What could he do worse than he already did?"

"Leave me pregnant with another Amie." The words left my mouth before I could blink and I couldn't believe I said that. Rose seemed to not to find it as horrendous as I did. She was laughing. Really loud.

"Make him wear a condom, sweetie," she said, between her breaths and she laughed harder when I blushed.

"I… it's not that. I'm just scared that he will leave again, or we won't get along like we used to. I'm not the same person, Rose. And I'm afraid that I'll never forget what he did."

"That shit it so complicated, but I'm sure that you shouldn't avoid him. I know you. You'll regret it later," she said as her phone beeped loudly.

"Fuck you," she mumbled as she looked intently at the screen.

"Work or men?"

"Work is a bitch. Seriously. They make me work like a even send me work on weekends, but they don't pay well. Assholes. Listen to this, for God's sake. June 20th. Sender Felix Volturi. Ms. Hale, I want those field reports on my desk early Monday morning. Enjoy your weekend. Asshole," she grumbled, but my attention was somewhere else.

"June 20th?" I asked, not believing myself that I didn't even know the date and nearly forgot something so important.

"Yep, today's June 20th? What?"

"Today's Edward's birthday," I said and couldn't help the smile that spread on my face. "And I nearly missed it. I wasn't even aware today was the 20th. Do you think I should text him?" I asked, and Rose snickered.

"No, write on his wall. What the hell, Bella? Call him." She laughed, and I found myself grinning.

"I wonder if they're having a party or something. Edward likes his loves those kind of things too. But then, they would tell me, right? Is he spending it alone? Well, Amie is with him, but still? Do you think that's the reason they're eating out tonight? Maybe, he wants to celebrate just by himself and he wants Amie with him. Why didn't he tell Amie?" I took a deep breath and reached for my phone, not really knowing what to do with it.

"Okay, calm down," Rose said, laughing. "Call Alice and ask if they have any plans."

"I can't. I don't want to ruin his plans. Maybe, he wants to spend it alone with Amie. But…"

"But what?" she said, frustration obvious in her voice.

"I… I kinda want to see him. I… well… I miss him," I said, and it felt surprisingly good and refreshing to admit it… Both to Rose and to myself.

With those words, Rose snatched the phone from my hands and called Alice. An hour later, we were in front of Edward's door with a cake in my hands.

* * *

**EPOV**

I managed to screw up everything once again, and unfortunately, I was not surprised.

We were getting along pretty good, but then I had to go and kiss her. Not that I regretted it. I missed kissing her so fucking much, and those few seconds were burned into my mind all week. I knew that kiss only caused frustration and anger for her, but it was so much more for me. After five long years, that kiss was everything to me. Even if she didn't kiss me back.

I also knew that I shouldn't have pushed her so much that night, because it caused her to avoid me all week long, and that hurt. I loved spending time with Amie on weekdays, and I looked forward to seeing her. But I also looked forward to seeing Bella. I only managed to see her three times though, and she didn't even give me a second glance. Five evenings and just three times. I was about to die by the end of the week. I just wanted to see her face…

I understood her at the same time… She was right… I didn't deserve her forgiveness, and it was so noble of her even to be friends with me. I just knew that I wouldn't be able to pretend when I loved her this much. However, I also knew this was the reason she was avoiding me at all costs now. It was so fucked up…

Work was kicking my ass at the same time. Dad was pushing me so hard, and it was too much for me on the top of not seeing Bella. Many nights, I found myself lying on my bed and staring at the ceiling, just thinking. And everytime, the unreciprocated kiss came to mind. Her lips… Her smell and feeling her that close. Old memories usually followed these thoughts, and I found myself in the shower more than once. That was a fucked up week…

That Saturday was my 28th birthday, and all through Friday I waited for Bella to say something about it. It may sound childish and girly to care about something like that, but it was an indicator for me. I just wondered if she still remembered. I didn't even see her face on Friday night. Charlie sat with Amie and me in the living room, and he spent the two hours I was there glaring at me.

I even hoped that Bella would say something on Saturday morning as I picked up Amie, but Rose was with Amie. I braced myself for sarcastic remarks, but she only said I looked like shit. It was true. I needed some peace of mind and some sleep.

So, here I was, coloring with my little girl in my living room, and celebrating my fucking 28th birthday. At least, I had Amie with me. She was making my day, hell my week, much lighter and happier without even intending to do so. She was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

"I want pepperoni pizza tonight," she declared out of nowhere, making me smile.

"Okay, I'll have pepperoni too. You hungry now?" I asked. It was a little after one, and I knew that it was her lunch time. She nodded, and I helped her to stand up so that we could go to the kitchen and prepare something to eat.

"Mac and cheese is okay, princess?"

"Yes, but make it like mommy," she ordered like the princess she was, and I shook my head.

"I don't know how mommy does it. How about I make it my way?"

She didn't have time to answer my question, because the doorbell rang and she bolted towards the door. I didn't know how many times I told her not to do that, but it looked like she was never going to listen to me.

"Amie, don't open it up. Wait for me," I warned after her, and she stopped in her tracks, giving me a shy smile. I wanted to be stern and tell her what she did was wrong, but I couldn't help my smile as I picked her up. "You don't open the door before asking who it is, okay?" I asked for the tenth time, and she nodded, giving me a blindingly beautiful smile that melted my heart. She knew that she had me wrapped around her finger, and she was enjoying every second of it.

"Edward, it's just me, not an axe murderer!" My sister's voice sounded from outside, and I frowned. I told her and my mom I wanted to be alone on my birthday, and they said okay. However, I should have known that Alice wouldn't listen.

"Auntie Alice," Amie said, jumping up and down in my arms. If only I had been as joyful as she was. I loved my sister to pieces, but I wasn't in the mood for a party.

Sighing, I threw open the door with Amie on my hip, and backed a few steps when Emmett's and Alice's loud screams echoed in the hall.

"Happy birthday!"

"Jesus, you were one step away from causing me to die on my 28th birthday," I mumbled, and I saw Bella in between my parents. I looked at her not believing my eyes as she gave me a shy smile. Was this a joke? A mirage?

"Mommy," Amie shrieked and wriggled out of my arms as I continued to look at Bella in disbelief. She really was here. I guess she was done avoiding and ignoring me … But why? Not that I was complaining, but why?

"Are we going to have the party in this small ass hall? Are you done gaping at everyone, Eddie? It's rude to have your guests standing outside," I heard Rose say, and Bella rolled her beautiful eyes.

"He's just surprised, Rose. You can wait for a few seconds," she said, actually defending me, and shocking me even more.

"Well, Rose is right. Move, Edward," Emmett said, pushing my shoulder hard and ushering a grinning Rose inside. Okay, what the hell was happening?

"I'm sorry. Please come in," I said, and everyone entered.

"I know you said you didn't want to have a party, but I couldn't resist when Bella called. And I'm not sorry. Happy birthday! I love you," Alice said, planting a big, smacking kiss on my cheek.

"Bella called you?" I asked, not believing my ears, and Alice nodded, winking. Bella's cheeks were a little pink, and that made my heart jump into my throat in joy. She thought about me after all, but why the sudden change of heart? I didn't want to let myself hope only to be sorry later, but it was too late. She was here, and that was all that mattered right now.

"Thank you, Bella," I said, looking into her eyes, and she gave me a radiant smile. How could I not let myself hope?

"I just didn't want you to be alone. I know Amie is here, but… Anyway, I know you like your birthday, so…" she mumbled shyly. My already fast beating heart went crazy, and I couldn't help but smile a goofy smile. "But I'm sorry if you don't want to-"

There was no way I was letting her think I didn't like the surprise. Even the fact that she thought about me was making me beyond happy, let alone seeing her here in my home. "No, really, thank you. This is perfect."

"He wouldn't say that and act this polite if it wasn't you," Emmett said cheekily as he walked into the kitchen. I just rolled my eyes but didn't deny it. If it was Emmett who had arranged the surprise when I already said I wanted to be alone, my reaction would be a lot different.

All of us went into the living room, and everyone wished me happy birthday, Mom's being the most embarrassing. She had my baby pictures with her as a tribute to the day, and she showed it to everyone. Rose made fun of my hair, saying it even had looked hideous then, but at least Amie liked the pictures. After looking at the pictures, Amie climbed my lap and started to stare at me.

"Today's really your birthday?" she asked, pouting adorably.

"Yes. What's the pout for? Are you sad today's my birthday? Don't you like daddy?" I asked, pulling gently at her bottom lip, and heard Bella laughing. I raised my head only to find her smiling, and my eyes got caught on Rose who was sitting next to Bella and rolling her eyes.

"I love you,"Amie shrieked and threw her arms around my neck. "I'm sorry I didn't buy you a present," she said sadly, and my dad chuckled next to me.

"I can buy you a book. You like books," Amie continued excitedly, and she was adorable.

"I think your daddy has everyone and everything he needs with him right now, sweetheart," Dad intervened in, and he was so right.

"Really? What will I give you? " Amie asked, looking at me with wide and curious eyes.

"Really. You don't need to give me anything. You're the best present ever," I said, and her eyes brightened. I knew it would be a little forward of me, and maybe Bella would get angry, but I had to say it. "You and your mom are now here and you are the best presents ever."

"Did you hear that, Mommy?" Amie asked in an excited voice, giggling, and Bella gave me a watery smile.

The feeling of hope that I was trying to surpress came back in full force with that smile.

* * *

Hi!

I'm so sorry it took me so long to update, but I was so busy with school.

I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed last chapter! Your support means a lot to me:)

I also want to thank my beta ,**adt216**, for fixing this chapter! Thank you soo much!

I have a twitter account now. (the link is on my profile page) I'm pretty boring but you can follow me if you want:)

Have a nice day!

E


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

**EPOV**

She was doing it again! God, why did she do that?

All day, she had been staring at me when she thought I wasn't looking, and now she was looking at me again. I could feel her gaze on me. The problem was I didn't really know what to think about that. Three hours ago, I was wallowing in misery and remembering kissing her again and again, and now she was looking at me. It was complicated, but awesome at the same time. Hell, I didn't need to know the reason right now. It was enough to know that she didn't want me to spend my birthday alone.

"Bella, look at me while I'm talking for God's sake!" Rosalie hissed suddenly, and Bella turned to look at her, blushing beet red. "Stop making googly eyes at each other. And, Edward, your mom is yelling for you."

I had no idea Mom was yelling for me. I guess I was more engrossed in watching Bella than I thought. Bella gave me a sheepish smile as I stood up that made me want to sit down and continue watching her.

"Edward!" Mom's voice echoed, and Rosalie smirked.

Giving a last glance at Bella, I went to the kitchen and found the others there. Mom and Dad were pulling some drinks from the fridge as Alice and Emmett were bickering, causing Amie to laugh loudly.

"We're going to order out? What do you want to eat?" Mom asked, and I wanted to yell at her for calling my name for something trivial like that.

"It doesn't matter. You guys pick," I said and sprinted back to the living room. Something was different today, and I was determined to enjoy every second while it was like that.

Bella was still flushed when I entered the room and Rose was snickering evilly. I wondered what the hell happened, but I knew better than to ask.

"Well, where's Emmett?" Rose giggled and left the room.

"What's going on between her and Emmett?" I asked, not containing my curiosity and Bella shrugged.

"I think she's kind of experimenting to see if he's suitable or something. You can never know with Rose."

Her voice was so neutral, and she looked more comfortable around me than she ever had been since she came back to Forks. What did that mean? My head was full of questions, and it was a matter of time before I started blurting then out. I just wanted to know what was going inside her head.

"So, thanks again for coming here today. You know, after that night and all week, I kind of thought you hated me more than ever," I mumbled awkwardly, as she shifted in her spot.

"I don't hate you," she said and paused for a second. "I never hated you. I just needed some time after that… kiss, and I still need to think a little."

Why would she need to think? Unless… The hope I was feeling conquered all of my senses again, but I had to ask before I continued hoping. It would hurt so much if I misunderstood her.

"Think about what?" I forced the words out of my mouth and waited for her answer, my heart hammering in my chest.

"I think… I just think you're right. We can't be friends." My eyes widened and I had to grasp the edge of the couch to stay still.

"What?" I asked again, wanting to hear it from her. What did that mean? Was she saying that she decided that she didn't even want to be friends?

"We're not friends and we can't be. You're right about that. Friends don't have feelings for each other. God, that's complicated," she replied with a shaky voice, and I wanted to jump and down in joy. Complicated or not, she practically said she had feelings for me.

"Yes, we can't. We aren't friends," I said, grinning, and she rolled her eyes. She was smiling though, and it was enough for me.

"But,I need time, and I don't know how long it will take. So, please don't push me," she said in a shy voice. Nothing mattered right now. She was taking a huge step towards me, and I was willing to wait as long as she needed if it meant she came to me in the end.

"It doesn't matter. I'll wait. You just… Wow, I'll wait!" I nearly yelled in joy, and she giggled.

Suddenly she looked so far away, and I ran to sit next to her. Her face was pink and her eyes were sparkling, making her look like the girl I had fallen in love with so many years ago. Hesitantly, I grabbed her hand, and she gave me a bright smile, causing me to grin like an idiot in return.

"You can think as much as you want, and I'll do whatever you want me to do. Just don't turn your back on me. Just give it a thought," I whispered and she nodded. My grin become even wider, and she giggled again.

"Not that I complained, but what changed your mind?"

"I've been thinking about it ever since that kiss, and Rose made me see some things and caused me to think about stuff," she answered, looking into my eyes. I wasn't satisfied and wanted to learn what that stuff was, but I didn't push it. I couldn't believe Rose was a part of the reason Bella was giving us a chance. Well, a chance to give us a chance…

"I think I love Rose."

"Too bad I don't love you back," Rose said, walking into the room with Amie and everyone following her. Amie's eyes landed on my hand on her mom's and she gasped loudly. Shit, I just hoped that she wouldn't say something that would scare Bella.

"You're holding hands," she said in awe and ran towards us. Well, I guess that was not too bad.

"Umm… yes." Bella's voice was hesitant as she pulled her hand back slowly. I just wanted to keep it inside mine, but she said no pushing; I was not going to push her.

"Girlfriends and boyfriends hold hands," Amie said, looking at us curiously. I was trying to find something to say and divert her attention from us, but Rose beat me to it.

"No, friends hold hands too. Look," she said, grabbing Emmett's hand. Emmett nodded, grinning, and threw his arm around Rose's shoulders.

"And friends can do this too," he added cheekily as Rose looked like she didn't know whether she wanted to kill Emmett or not.

"Okay, I think that's enough fort he friendship lesson," Rose said, pushing Emmett, and Amie started giggling at Emmett's face. I shot a grateful look to Rose and she gave me a half smile. Well, that was an improvement.

My phone's loud beeping gained Amie's attention again, and she sat down between me and Bella as I grabbed my phone.

Grandma.

"Great," I mumbled under my breath, and thought of ways not to answer it. I knew what she was going to say, and I really dreaded it. The thought of me upsetting her was unbearable.

"Who is it?" Bella asked suddenly, surprising me and herself. Her eyes widened and she started "I'm so-"

I cut her off before she apologized, and gave her a smile. "Grandma Lizzie."

Alice and Emmett started laughing loudly as Mom gave me a guilty look. That look proved my theory. She told Grandma everything and now I was about to listen to a long lecture after a short birthday wish. I really loved my gram, but she never stopped talking once she started.

Sighing, I answered the phone and talked as eagerly as I could "Hi, Grandma."

"Edward, honey, what took you so long to answer?" her soft voice sounded, and I immediately felt guilty for thinking those things about her. Overwhelming or not, she was an awesome woman.

"Sorry, Gram. Emmett is here," I replied, grinning, and Emmett gave me a dirty look.

"Oh, I know how he can be sometimes," Gram said, and I grinned wider at Emmett, who looked like he was about to die from curiosity.

"Well, happy birthday, Edward," Gram said, her voice trembling, and I internally groaned. Please God, don't let her start. It was too late though.

"I don't know how the years passed so quickly. Esme sent me a recent picture. You look so much like your grandfather with each passing year. My Edward was just like you when he was young. He would be so proud of you if he was alive now," she said in a sad voice, and I felt the burning sensation I felt whenever she talked about my grandfather. He had died ten years ago, and Gram never spent a day without uttering his name. His name was Edward too.

"Thank you so much. I love you," I said before she had a chance to say more, and heard her laughing.

"I love you, too, boy. She sent me some other things too. I wanted to find you and beat your ass so bad, but Esme told me she already did that."

"Yes, she did indeed," I said, looking at my mom who was smiling to me.

"I can't believe you did something like that. You are not a cruel person, but every one of us can make mistakes. I'm just happy that you're trying to fix your mistakes now. I know you're better," she said and sighed. "My baby Edward has a baby," she continued with longing in her voice, but I was just glad that no one but me heard what she said. Emmett would never let me forget that. Before I had a chance to say anything, she spoke again, "I want to see your baby. I'm coming to visit next Friday."

"Well, you're welcome if you won't kill me," I joked and she burst into giggles.

"You know I can't bare to hurt you. You are my Edward," she sighed, and I smiled sadly.

It was no secret that she gave me much more attention than she did to Emmett and Alice. It was not like she didn't love them. She loved all of us too much. It was just because I was carrying her lover's name and looked like so much like him. She said she saw so much of him in me. I hadn't seen Grandpa Edward so much in my life with them living in Chicago, but his pictures as a young man were proof that I looked like him with his bronze hair and sharp features.

It turned out out that Grandma already bought her ticket and her plane was landing in Seattle early Friday morning. After promising her a thousand times that I would pick her up on time, we said goodbye, and she cried as she did at every phone call's end. I didn't know how many times my parents begged her to move to Forks, but she declined, saying that she was used to big city life. We all knew she didn't want to leave her house and her memories of her Edward.

"She's coming. It should be interesting," Emmett chuckled and Mom threw him a pissed look. Emmett was not as patient as me when it came to Grandma Lizzie. He didn't like listening to her reminiscing or criticizing us, but he had no choice other than to sit and bear it.

"Don't do anything to upset her while she's here. I'm saying this to all three of you," she said, narrowing her eyes and looking at Alice, Emmett and me. "She's old and she's missing her husband and us."

"I know, Mom," Emmett replied as Alice nodded. "I just hope she won't bug me about marriage this time like she did two years ago," he said, and Alice burst into laughter.

"I remember her," Bella intervened and I turned to look at her. "I was thirteen and she was here. She told me I was too skinny and I should eat more to become pretty."

"Oooh, I remember that. We were in my room and she suddenly barged in. She tried to make us eat all week long. Only Emmett listened to her," Alice said, laughing.

We spent the rest of the day eating and talking, and it was one of the best birthdays ever. Mom and Dad left after we ate the cake, leaving the others to watch a movie that Amie chose. Amie chose _Shrek_ much to Emmett's delight and they started watching it with rapt attention.

My attention was on someone else, and it was good to know that her attention was on me too. It was still so hard to believe the things she had said to me earlier today. I played her words over and over again in my mind, and tried to calm my fears that something would go wrong.

By the time the movie ended, Amie was fast asleep, and Emmett and Rose were on the balcony, smoking. I carried Amie to my bed and covered her with a blanket as Bella watched us.

"Your bedroom is nice. The decor, I mean," she said, shifting on her feet after I turned to her.

"Alice and Mom did it, but I chose the furniture." She nodded and went back to looking at room. I knew I didn't need to push her, but I felt the urge to ask. I just needed to try and see.

"Can we go out sometime this week?" I asked, my voice shaking and I held my breath. She turned to look at me, looking hesitant and biting her lip.

"I'm… I'm not sure, Edward. I'm still thinking if it's a good idea, if I can take you back. I'm not sure if I'm ready," she said quietly, and my breath left my lungs. I expected her to say no. Hell I knew she would say no, but I still hoped.

"I understand. That's okay," I said, smiling, and she smiled back to me.

"We can see each other when you come to see Amie," she mumbled, and I nodded.

"So, you won't avoid me," I joked, and she gave me a shy smile.

"No, I guess not."

We spent the rest of the evening watching movies with Emmett and Rose, and it was nearly midnight by the time they went home. Emmett offered to give them a ride, ignoring the glare he received from me, and Rose said yes. Having no other choice, I kissed Amie goodnight and smiled at Bella as Rose helped Amie to Emmett's car.

"Goodnight," Bella whispered and took a step towards me, making my pulse quicken.

"Goodnight," I managed to say back as she took another step.

She took a few more steps and stood just in front of me. I could barely restrain myself from hugging and kissing the shit out of her as she whispered a happy birthday and kissed my cheek. As I stood there gaping at her, she gave me a blinding smile and got in Emmett's car.

* * *

**BPOV**

I kissed Edward's cheek…

I couldn't believe I did that. I kissed his cheek! I knew it was absurd to make a big deal of something as innocent as kissing his cheek, but it was a huge deal for me. I couldn't believe I did it. Well, actually I couldn't believe half of the things I did tonight. I didn't know where I got the courage, but I was happy I said and did that stuff. It was liberating and I felt so free.

I went to his house with every intention of viewing him with an objective eye and without my pride getting in the way, and I guess I managed to do that. It was so cute to see him so surprised. With the things I talked with Rose on my mind, I simply couldn't help but look at him and think about the possibilities of the future.

It was a fact that he had hurt me more than anyone had in my entire life, but he had also given me more happiness than anyone had given me. Moreover, he was really trying. The pain, jealousy and the anger I felt whenever he was near me vanished. I felt happy, free and calm with him when my guard wasn't up, and it was so good to be able to feel that way again. I realised that I didn't want him as a friend either.

I thought talking to him and telling him this stuff would be awkward, but the awkwardness didn't last long. However, I knew I couldn't just forgive him. There was just one big problem that kept me back from forgiving him. I didn't trust him. I didn't know if I would ever trust him. The only thing I knew was that it would take some time to trust him enough to open up to him like that.

God, I was sure I would never forget his expression when I said I wanted to think about if we could more than just friends. It was pure joy. His smile was so big and intoxicating, making his face look even more gorgeous. It was the most flattering thing to see that he was getting so excited over a simple sentence. Well, I guess, it wasn't a simple sentence. It was a big revelation.

And his face when he asked me out… I knew it was maybe a little cruel and stupid of me to say no, but I was afraid. I was afraid of jumping into this before thinking and I was afraid that I would be hurt in the end again. I could see that Edward was sincere and really wanted me, but I still needed some time to think.

Amie was sleeping again when Emmett dropped us home. After putting her in bed and changing into my pajamas, I went downstairs to find Rose. She was sitting on the couch and eating ice cream.

"Still eating?" I asked, teasingly, and she arched one of her eyebrows.

"Still grinning?" she teased back, and I laughed. "You know, I know you for five years, and I've never seen you smile this much. You really love him."

I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to say. The truth of her statement both excited and scared me. I wanted to trust Edward so badly…

"Thank you, Rose," I said, as I sat down and she gave me a questioning look. "For listening to me, you know. I… I was so confused. You helped me a lot. I'm still confused, but I think it will be okay in the end. I think I'm going to give it a chance. I told Edward," I said, and the memory of Edward's face when I told him made me smile again.

"Your welcome, honey. It's so nice to see you this happy. Just remember to take a few precautions before jumping into bed as I told you before."

"Rose!" I hissed, and she laughed. When she caught me ogling Edward today, she told me she could sense the sexual energy, and she gave me some advice. Well, let's say that I wouldn't want to have that talk with Rose again.

"What? You kept staring at each other all day long. If you decide to forgive him, you'll be fucking each other in no time, and you need to be more careful this time. You said yourself that you're scared about that," she replied innocently as I gaped.

"Believe me, sex is the last thing that is on my mind right now."

"But, it's on your mind," she said, snickering, and I decided that it was time to go bed.

"Goodnight, Rose!"

"Goodnight, honey!" she yelled after me, still snickering.

Rose went back to Seattle the next morning, leaving Amie and me teary eyed. I tried to learn what her deal was with Emmett before she left, but she just smiled and said nothing. I didn't believe her, since they looked too cozy to be nothing. But she was pretty determined to be silent, and I couldn't learn anything about it. Anyway, it was only a matter of time before I found out.

Now that school was on summer break, I spent all week with Amie, and Edward joined us in the evenings. The fear and that awkward feeling was slowly diminishing, and it was making me act more and more comfortable with each passing day. He bought books and movies for Amie, and we spent our nights either coloring or watching a movie. He didn't ask me out again, and I was glad for this. I was happy with what we had right now, and I needed to think and see a little more before we took another step. Small touches and smiles were shared, and I was feeling more optimistic than I had ever felt in the last few years.

When Dad first saw Edward and me talking and laughing in living room, his face dropped and he left the room. I understood that he was afraid for me, and I knew that I needed to talk to him before making any decision regarding to Edward. I talked to Dad that night, and he surprised me when he said he understood me and respected my choices. Hearing that from him made me feel even safer and happier.

Saturday morning, Amie woke me up screaming and jumping up and down on my bed. It wasn't hard to see that she changed so much after she learned that Edward was her father. She was more outgoing and lively than ever, and I was glad that she was this happy. I just wished that she would stop jumping on my bed when I was sleeping.

"What, Amie?" I snapped and hoped that she would leave me alone if she saw I was feeling terse. I wasn't that lucky.

"We're going to meet Grandma Lizzie. Wake up, Mommy!" she said and jumped to the floor, nearly giving me a heart attack.

"Don't do that again. You could hurt yourself," I scolded, and she nodded as if she was mocking me. I was about to open my mouth to say something more, but the clock caught my eye.

"Shit! We're late!"

After taking the shortest shower of my life, I helped Amie to get dressed and did her hair. She made a fuss about how ugly it looked, but I had no choice other than to ignore her. Putting on a plain shirt and a pair of dark washed jeans, I was ready. Since my dad was not at home and I didn't have a car, I called Edward, and he was here in ten minutes to pick us up.

Amie refused to talk to me on our way, saying that I made her hair look ugly, but when we entered the Cullens' house and she saw Grandma Lizzie, she hugged my leg like her life depended on it.

Grandma Lizzie looked much older than I remembered, but she was still beautiful. She had green eyes and white hair that had been blonde once. She gave me a smile when she saw me, but her attention was stolen by Amie. She motioned for Amie to go to her, and that caused Amie to hug my leg even more tightly.

"She's a little shy around people," I said, blushing myself.

"It looks like her mom is shy too," she said and laughed. "Come on, I won't bite you."

Edward picked up Amie and held my hand, causing me to blush even harder. Alice gave me a smile and winked as we walked towards Grandma Lizzie.

"Grandma, this is Bella and our daughter Amie," Edward said, sitting next to Grandma Lizzie and pulling me next to him. Amie was clinging to Edward's neck and peeking at Grandma Lizzie with curious eyes.

"Hello, Mrs. Masen," I said, wanting to break the silence. To tell the truth, I also wanted her to like me a little bit. I had seen the woman one time in my life, and she had told me I was too skinny. That was not a really shining moment for my teenage self…

"Oh, just call me Lizzie, Bella," she said and gave me a smile. "Now, introduce me to this pretty girl of yours." She looked at Amie lovingly and nudged Edward with her elbow.

"Amie," Edward whispered with such a proud and loving tone that it made my heart swell. Amie raised her head to look at Edward. He kissed her head, and Amie let out a giggle. "Look, she is my Grammy Lizzie," Edward said, pointing to Lizzie and Amie gave a small smile to Lizzie.

"Like Esme is my grammy?" she asked, and Edward nodded.

"She's Esme's mom."

Amie's eyes travelled between Lizzie, Esme and Edward, and everyone laughed at her cuteness. She blushed slightly but didn't hide herself this time. It took ten minutes for her to get over her shyness. Then she was all buddy buddy with Lizzie and they were having the time of their life coloring Amie's coloring books.

"They get along well," Edward whispered into my ear causing all of my body to tingle. I nodded mutely and swallowed. Damn you, Rose!

Before long it was time to eat, and it took Edward and me a while to make Amie stop coloring and eat. After she made her dad and me beg for ten minutes, Lizzie asked her to eat, and she went into the kitchen after her, leaving me and Edward in the living room as if we weren't the ones who had been begging like crazy. I looked at Edward's face and saw him frowning after Amie. Suddenly, I started laughing loudly and Edward followed me. When we sat down to eat, our faces were red from laughing, and I was still giggling.

"It's so nice to see both of you so happy," Esme said out of nowhere, looking Edward and me and smiling.

"Umm… thanks," I mumbled, not knowing what to say as Edward smiled really big.

After we ate and washed the dishes, the women went to the living room while men and Amie went to the garage to look at Edward's car. I didn't know what, but I guess something was wrong with it. They had been talking nonstop about it until Esme kicked them out.

The second I sat down, Alice plopped down next to me, smirking.

"So, what happened with Edward? He looks like he's high and you're no different."

"Later," I mouthed to Alice, and she nodded.

Esme and Lizzie were sitting in the same room, so there was no way I was telling Alice what happened right now. As much as everyone basically knew what had happened five years ago, what was happening now was private. Alice must have understood, because she didn't say anything and left me alone.

My state of being alone didn't last long though. This time it was Lizzie who was curious.

"It looks like you've forgiven Edward," she commented as we drank our coffees.

"I don't know. I'm thinking. I'm trying," I mumbled lamely, as Alice and Esme gave me smiles. I knew everyone was happy with this new revelation.

"It was harsh, what he did. I would never expect him to do something like that. I was shocked when Esme called me and told me. But he looks like he loves that little girl more than anything in the world. I won't start with you, because everyone knows that he has been smitten with you ever since you were just kids," she said and laughed, but her eyes were teary. "I loved my husband, but we had a lot of arguments. He was a little grumpy and didn't like it when the attention wasn't on him. I sometimes thought about leaving him so that he would see that he couldn't be without me. He left me first," she choked, and Esme was immediately by her side.

"Mom, please," Esme said, but Lizzie silenced her.

"What I'm trying to say is life's short. If you love him, don't make him wait too long. I was seventeen when I got married, and we were married for forty years. I would like another forty years if I had the chance," she said, smiling gently as I tried to hide my tears from her.

I spent the rest of the day avoiding Lizzie for fear that I would burst into tears or run into Edward's arms if she said anything more. Alice had told me that she still lived with the memory of her husband, but hearing her talk about him with so much love and pain even after ten years made my heart ache. It also caused me to wonder if I was wasting our time because of baseless fears. No matter what, it was too early to forgive Edward. As far as I knew her Edward hadn't left her or hadn't done something as big as mine had done to me, so yeah, I definitely needed to think more.

The next day, Dad, me and Amie had a late breakfast and then Dad took Amie to La Push beach while I stayed at home. I was enjoying the solitude when the doorbell rang. Cursing inside, I went to open the door and found Esme and Alice with their arms full of junk food.

"Can you tell me now? I'm dying here. We had to wait until Edward picked up Grammy, and after that mom made me wait," Alice whined, dropping the grocery bags in the kitchen and I gave her a pointed look.

"It's rude to visit people at eight in the morning, Alice. And Bella doesn't want to talk about it in front of me. I'm the mom, remember?" Esme said jokingly, and I laughed.

"It's just… Nothing's happening. I've already told you. I'm thinking about giving him a chance, and believe me, it's not easy. It's nice so far though. I realised that I really missed him." My confession made me blush, but they ignored my embarrassment, for which I was thankful.

Esme had the best of town gossip, and Alice's commentary on it made me laugh hysterically all day long. It was dark and I was about to throw up from eating so much when they stood up to go.

After saying goodbye, I decided to have a bath and went upstairs to fill the tub. As the tub was filling, I went to my room to grab my robe and chose some underwear to wear after the bath. Just as I was grabbing a shirt, the doorbell rang, indicating that Dad and Amie were home and my me time was over.

It wasn't them though. Alice was standing at my front door, pressing the doorbell repeatedly. Her whole body was shaking with her cries and her mascara was running down her cheeks. She let out a strangled sob when she saw me and quit pressing the doorbell.

"Alice, what happened? Are you okay?" I asked frantically as she shook her head.

"Crash… Edward's car was found. It's a wreck. It's bad."

* * *

Hi!

Before starting my rambling, I want to thank my beta '**adt216**' for fixing this chapter super fast. THANK YOU!

I also want to thank everyone who read and reviewed last chapter!:) I couldn't reply your reviews because my computer crashed and it's in a really bad condition. Well, anyway, thank you sooo much! 1018 reviews, wow! This is a really big deal for me. Thanks again for making me smile before my midterm week. (I have a suspicion that my film history exam will reduce me to tears.)

I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please let me know what you think.

Have a great day!

E.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

**EPOV**

"Edward, turn that off, please. My ears are bleeding," Grandma Lizzie snarled for the hundredth time this morning as I turned down the volume. Not having any other choice than to obey her, I turned off the radio and continued driving to Port Angeles in complete silence.

"I'm sorry I'm acting like the old grumpy lady I am, but I have a terrible headache. That makes me angry," she said meekly a few minutes later.

"That's okay. But you know you don't have to go this early, right? You could've stayed a little longer. Chicago isn't going anywhere, nor is your house for that matter."

I admit that I was a little bit put out that she chose today to go back to Chicago. Instead of spending time with Amie and Bella like I wanted to, I was driving her to the airport and then leaving my car to mechanic's shop. Dad was working, and Mom didn't like driving. Emmett and Alice didn't even entertain the thought of driving her. It was like she was only my grammy. Not that they didn't love her, but we had a different relationship. We were bonded.

"I miss my home. Now, shut up," she joked, pinching my cheek and making me grimace. "And you said you needed to take your car to a mechanic. There's no reason to sulk."

"I'm not sulking. Sorry, Grammy," I mumbled like a five year old as she laughed. She could read me like an open book, and she knew I was upset about not having the opportunity to spend the day with Amie and Bella.

The rest of the drive passed in playful bickering, and she really made me laugh, especially with the comments she made about Emmett. She didn't understand how a thirty year old man could still live with his parents while he had a steady job.

"He will never get married." She sighed. "When I was thirty, your mom was eleven years old."

"Don't worry about him. And one of us is getting married. Alice."

"I don't know how she's going to manage that though. She acts like a child most of the time. At least she's more mature than Emmett."

I laughed, imagining Alice's and Emmett's faces if they heard what Grandma was saying, but I should have known she wouldn't leave me alone.

"One would think you're mature, but you're obviously not either," she said, and I felt my face getting redder.

"Yes, I did a really bad thing, and I'm ashamed of it. But I have grown up," I grumbled.

"Then prove it. Don't make the mistake of wasting time by doing nothing. Your fate is in your own hands."

"I'm not wasting time."

"Really?" She snorted. "First five years of your daughter's life? Didn't you miss it? For what?"

"I know, okay? It's my fault," I replied somewhat loudly, but she had been pushing my buttons from the day she met Amie. I didn't know if she wanted an instant happily ever after or some shit, but it wasn't easy. I didn't have the power to magically fix everything. The only thing I could do was be patient.

"Don't get mad. I just don't want you to miss anything else. You're not getting younger, and sometimes being reasonable is overrated."

"Tell this to Bella," I said, and she let out a loud giggle.

"Trust me, I did," she declared proudly, and my head jerked towards her.

"What?" I gulped, not knowing and not really being able to imagine what the hell she said to Bella. I loved my grandma, but she was freaking dramatic.

"Don't get your panties in a twist. I just told her about your grandfather and gave a little advice. Nothing over the top. I promise," she said with a mischievious glint in her eyes.

"If you say so," I mumbled, sulking, but she didn't cave like she usually did when I sulked. Well, I guess I wasn't as cute as when I was younger.

After a tearful goodbye on Grandma Lizzie's part and lots of promising to visit her in Chicago on my part, she got on her plane, and I took my car to my usual mechanic. It was making some sort of annoying noise. I knew that it was nothing serious since Emmett had checked it out, but I wouldn't be comfortable without taking it to a professional.

It took me five minutes to get to mechanic's shop from the airport. The owner, Sam, took the car and offered for me to stay and chat with them. I knew better. He was running the shop with a few guys who were practically teenagers, and I had once had to endure their hormonal conversations. Declining politely, I grabbed my keys and my cell phone which was already dead from my car and went to the nearest coffee shop to kill some time.

While sitting in the coffee shop, I felt like an idiot. I could have invited Bella and Amie, and we could have wandered around Port Angeles doing something fun while waiting for the car. I didn't want to overwhelm Bella, but I guessed she probably wouldn't have said no. It was too late now. I would see them this evening, and that would be it for a few days. Just a few hours…

Not being patient enough to wait for the time that Sam told me to return I went to the shop nearly an hour early to see what they were up to. Sam's brown face visibly paled when he saw me, and he gave me a shaky smile.

"Mr. Cullen, I tried to call you, but I couldn't reach you," he stammered, fiddling with the tools on the bench and not looking at me.

"My phone's dead. Anything wrong with the car?" I asked, wondering if that's why he was acting like that. Emmett said it was nothing, but he could have been wrong.

"No, we already fixed it, but, you see, it's a little complicated."

"How so?" I was starting to get nervous and angry that he was beating around the bush.

"One of my employees took the car, and two others are following him now. They'll bring the car back. Don't worry," he said as if it was not a big deal as my mouth opened in disbelief. What the fuck?

"One of your fucking employees took my car?" I tried to ask as quietly as I could, but my voice was high as a result of my anger. "Why? What the hell is going on here? How can an employee take a customer's car and drive away with it?" I was full on yelling by the end, but no one could blame me. It was fucking ridiculous.

"He has some issues. He's my cousin actually. He sometimes gets a little overwhelmed. We had a fight, and then he took your car. The keys were in it and it was all ready. I'm so sorry, Mr. Cullen," Sam said, looking at me with a pleading expression, but it was futile. His family affairs weren't my concern.

"His issues don't matter to me. I want you to find my damn car, and I want it to be in the same condition as it was before that asshole took it," I said as suddenly an idea hit me. "Why don't we call the police and give the plate number? They can find him easier."

"No, please, no!" Sam's eyes widened, and he grabbed the cordless phone from the desk. "We'll find him in no time. No need for the police, please. He's just seventeen. He'll get into big trouble."

"Well, he deserves that and you can't keep me from calling the police," I spat and marched outside the shop, Sam in tow.

"I understand you, but please understand me. He's… he has some serious issues, and he's just a minor. I promised my uncle that I would take good care of him. He's harmless. He'll be back. Just wait for a little while," Sam begged, his eyes grew teary. Not being used to seeing a grown man on the verge of crying, I sighed in annoyance and sat down on the steps.

"What the hell is his problem?" I asked, hoping that he wasn't some sort of druggie or alcoholic who would smash my car.

Sam sighed and seemed reluctant, but I raised my eyebrows and he sat down too. That kid stole my car, even if for a few hours, and I had the right to know what his deal was. Private or not, it didn't matter.

"He has some family issues. Big ones, actually," he grumbled, and I rolled my eyes. A lot of people had family issues, but they didn't go stealing other people's cars, even if for a few hours. Well, at least, I hoped for a few hours.

"Well, I'm waiting for another thirty minutes, then I'm calling the police and suing your ass," I said, looking Sam in the eye, and he nodded solemnly.

Ten minutes later, I was getting agitated and regretting the decision to wait just as Sam's phone rang. He answered it quickly, and his face got even paler as he listened to what was being said. He ended the call without saying anything and turned to look at me with scared eyes.

"They found him. And the car," he said, his voice trembling.

"So?" I asked, my heart in my throat. As much as I was pissed at that asshole for taking my car, I didn't want him to be hurt or anything. And, of course, I wanted my car in one piece.

"He had an accident. He's fine, but the car is not," he said, and that was the last thing I heard before jumping to my feet. Sam was still talking, but I was too busy trying to calm myself down. That car was the first thing I bought with my own money, and now it was gone because of some troubled fucker.

"Where the hell did he smash my car?"

"Outside of Port Angeles. Pretty close to Forks," he said, grabbing his keys and phone. He was acting as if it was not a big deal, and it was pissing me off.

"Oh, it's great that my wreck of a car is close to my hometown," I snarled, sarcastically and followed him to his truck.

"We don't even know if the car is wrecked, and I promise, I'll pay for everything. Just-"

"Just don't sue the boy or you, right?"

"Right," he swallowed, starting the car.

"Police are already there, you know. There's no way your cousin can sneak out of there."

"I know. I know, but maybe if you don't press charges against him, then it won't be so bad." The misery and fear were evident in his voice, and I didn't have any freaking idea what to do about that. I had no doubt that he would pay for the damages. He was trustworthy. But, would it be a good idea to let something big like this go? His cousin was just a kid of course, but it was a fucking big deal. He smashed my car, for God's sake.

"How long will it take to get there?" I asked, instead of answering his request.

"Thirty minutes or something. They're somewhere along the river. Well, the cops are there, so it won't be too hard to find."

Thirty five minutes later, a police car and the horrible sight of my car stopped us. My heart lunged into my throat when I saw it, and I tried to swallow my tears. I was not a car addict or anything, but I loved my car. Seeing its hood smashed down and its windows broken wasn't the best moment of my life.

My eyes caught a teenage guy who was sitting on a tree trunk and supporting a bloody nose. Sam was right next to him, shouting, and the guy was crying and cringing.

"How did you manage to end up with just a bloody nose while my car's hood is a wreck?" I asked, not being able to hide the hostility and anger in my voice. His eyes widened when he saw me approaching, and he looked at Sam as if waiting for him to say something.

"Well, my arm… I think I broke my arm, too," he said, gesturing to his left arm with his head and hissing.

Sam snorted really loudly and rolled his eyes. "That's too bad," he said dryly. "You hit the tree? How fast were you going, asshole?"

"I don't exactly know, but it was really fast," the little guy snapped at Sam and then turned to look at me. "Look, I'm sorry. I don't know why I did it. I needed to be alone so fucking much, and they took my car. And-"

"So, you took mine?" I laughed humourlessly. He was going to say something else, but another police car came, and my dad bolted out of it.

"Oh, God! You're okay!" he shouted and literally threw himself on me.

"Dad, slow down! I'm okay. I wasn't even in the car. How did you know?" I asked when he released me from his death grip.

"The officer who is working on this accident is Charlie's friend, and he's from Forks. Well, since there isn't another Volvo in Forks, he called Charlie and gave your plate number. We first thought you were in the car. Then, Officer Caleb called us to say you were not in the car, but we were already on our way.I was so scared."

I patted my dad's back as he took in his surroundings.. I could understand what kind of emotions he had to endure.

"Well, you see, I'm good. It's just my car," I groaned, looking at the teenage asshole who was having a screaming match with Sam.

"I'm glad it's just your car." I heard Charlie say and turned to look at him. He had his fishing boots and he looked like it was the last place he wanted to be. His face was bright red and he had a worried look on his face.I wondered if he cared about me too in that second.

"Now that we're sure he's fine, I'm going to call Bella. She must be still freaking out," he said gruffly, punching numbers on his phone.

"What? Does she know? Why does she know? She doesn't need to know? Amie? They… It's not-"

"Calm down, Cullen," he stopped my rambling and raised his eyebrows. "It's too late. Your dad called Alice after I called him. And Alice told Bella, and you can guess the rest."

I really could guess. I was a hundred percent sure that Alice exaggerated everything, and now was causing everyone else to have anxiety attacks.

"Dad, you call Alice. I'm sure she is the head of everything," I said, and Dad chuckled.

"Bella must be at our house. I can call them," Dad said, taking his phone out of his pocket, and Charlie breathed a sigh of relief.

"I had my daily dose of screaming and crying women. Thanks, Carlisle," he said and went to join the other cops.

Screaming and crying women? Wow… I really wanted to kill that kid for causing my family to fret over nothing, but he was doing a large amount of screaming and crying himself. It was not sane to approach him.

Dad was repeating over and over again that I was fine to whomever was on the line, but they didn't seem to believe him. I had a huge suspicion that it was Alice, and we would have a huge conversation about that when I saw her next.

"Oh, God! He's here, okay? Talk to him if you don't believe me," Dad said in frustration and pushed the phone into my hands. "You deal with her."

"Alice, I'm okay. Stop terrorizing yourself and everyone else," I said as gently as I could given the circumstance I was in. I was hungry, surprised, overwhelmed, more importantly, pissed. I knew she didn't mean any harm by worrying over me, but I didn't need the drama right now.

"Edward, is that you?" The answer that came along with a sob didn't belong to Alice though.

"Bella, I'm good. It's a misunderstanding. I wasn't in the car. Some kid took it and crashed it." I explained, giving the kid a dirty look.

"When Alice said it was bad, I was-" she choked on her word, and this caused a fresh wave of pain inside me.

"Ssshh, we can talk about it later. Just calm down, okay?" I said, as she took irregular breaths and said okay. "Is Amie with you?" I asked, fearing that she witnessed all of the hysterics.

"No, Sue took her to the park. She doesn't know a thing," she answered and I breathed in relief.

"That's great, love. Tell Alice, Emmett and Mom that I'm okay too. Just calm down and wait for us, okay?"

She said okay, and I reluctantly ended the call. Hearing her voice was the best thing that happened to me today, and I didn't want to let go.

"Love, huh?" Charlie asked, narrowing his eyes at me as I nodded shakily. "She's so forgiving. Don't screw it up or else you know what will come for you."

"I won't screw up this time," I said really believing this, and Charlie grunted in approval. Well, I guess that was a good thing.

We had to stay there for another two long hours, dealing with shit. It turned out the kid had more issues than Sam let me know, and cops had to send him to a hospital. Sam promised me to pay for all of my damages, and I knew that he would keep his promise. A towing truck got my poor car, and we got into Charlie's car to go to my dad's house since everyone was there.

* * *

**BPOV**

"He's fine. He's fine. He's fine. He's fine," I chanted in attempt to soothe my nerves, but my heart was still beating like crazy. The mere thought of something happening to him devastated me. I was literally a wreck, even after he called us to say he was okay.

When Alice told me it was bad, I really thought he died. It was the first thing that came to my mind, and I cursed myself for even thinking it. The pain that I felf was so strong that I couldn't even breathe. I couldn't even cry or scream like I wanted to. If it wasn't for Emmett who came right after Alice, I was sure I would have fainted or had a heart attack.

Emmett was the epitome of calm and took us to Cullens' house. He kept telling us we didn't know anything about the accident, so there was hope. I told him to shut the fuck up. Rather sight of Esme waiting there didn't do anything to ease my fears, and I started to cry then.

But my actual breakdown happened when Dad called me to say that he dropped Amie to Sue's, and he was going to the accident scene with Carlisle. It was not Edward who was in the car. The worst scenarios of Edward missing or his body, getting hurt beyond recognition were flowing through my head. I was sure that Dad thought I lost my mind considering the amount of crying and begging I did to him to bring Edward back to me safe and sound. Well, I almost lost my mind.

When Carlisle called and said that Edward was with them, I could finally breathe. It still hurt though. I needed to hear his voice. I needed to see him. I needed him in that second very much. After bugging Carlisle to no end, he gave the phone to Edward, and that was when I could breathe without difficulty. The ache in my chest lessened, and I found myself smiling among my tears. He was fine, and he was coming to us.

It was nearly three hours since we had talked to them, and I was starting to get anxious again. Alice and Esme were sitting next to me. Both of their eyes were puffy, and it was the first time I noticed. I guess I was too consumed in my pain to notice what everyone was doing or feeling.

"Are you okay?" I asked Esme, patting her knee, and she gave me a big smile.

"I'm good. Are you okay?" she asked back, putting emphasis on you, and I blushed. I didn't even want to think how much I fussed.

"Well, she's okay. She's not screaming at me, or Dad, or Charlie, and she's not crying. So, I guess she's okay. But she's getting agitated because they're taking so long. Look at her knee," Emmett said, smirking and gesturing my bouncing knee. I immediately stilled it, but they were all giggling.

"I'm sorry," I said, suddenly feeling embarrassed that I acted that way. Edward was their family, and I was the one who was getting all emo and freaky.

"No need. I can totally understand you," Alice said in a throaty voice, and Emmett laughed.

"You three looked like hell. I told you that he was fine. We're talking about Edward here. That asshole is damn lucky."

"Shut up, Emmett. As if you weren't freaking out. I caught you pacing and calling Edward's phone over and over again in the garden," Alice said smugly, and Emmett's mouth dropped open.

"He's my brother, too," he grumbled and folded his arms in front of his chest. They were really like kids.

Kid. Amongst all this chaos, I didn't even think about Amie once, and I felt guilty about it now. I called Sue after talking to Edward, and she promised me to bring her as soon as Edward came back. I didn't want her to see crying and cursing adults around. So it was safest for her to come after Edward.

The sound of front door opening echoed in the hall, and we all stood up quickly. Edward, Dad and Carlisle entered the room, looking tired, but my eyes focused on Edward. He looked so tired and haggard. He had never looked this perfect though. The thought of losing him was more than I could handle. I could handle not being with him because I knew he was somewhere, alive, because I knew he existed. But even the thought of him not existing anymore was suffocating. It was harsh, and I didn't want to feel it again. I didn't want to be without him again. It didn't mean that I was over all of my trust issues. It just meant that I saw the meaning of what Grandma Lizzie had said. Life was too short, and I was not going to waste it with thinking. I was going to learn by living even if it had the possibility to break me in the end.

"Finally!" Alice screamed and jumped on Edward, who scrambled to his feet with her weight. "We were so worried. Thank God, you're okay."

"No need to get worried, Al," Edward said, his eyes landing on me. I tried to give him a smile, but my eyes betrayed to me, filling with tears immediately. He gently pried Alice out of his arms and hugged Esme, who was waiting right behind of Alice. She stayed strong all day long, but I knew it was really hard on her too.

After a rather an embarrassing choking and hug on Emmett's part, Edward came to me as everyone was laughing and making fun of Emmett. He looked hesitant when he took my hand, but I didn't want that. I threw myself into his arms, pushing the fear, embarrassment and pride away, and I was home. He seemed taken aback at first, but then his arms enveloped me. I don't know how long we stood like that, in each other's arms. All I knew was that I never wanted him to let go of me. I never wanted to be away from him. I was so tired of feeling anger and pain all those years, and now all I ever wanted was to be loved by him. I had no power to handle anything else any more. My heart was really beaten. I wanted my Edward back, and I didn't really care about anything from now on.

He sighed and squeezed my arms before taking a step back. He looked at my face for a few seconds and then his face broke into a beautiful smile. It was like it was the first time we saw each other after five years. It was the first time I let myself see him throughly after five years.

"I'm good, just a little hungry and grumpy because some asshole smashed my car," he said before I asked anything, and I nodded, laughing.

"I can tell you're grumpy. Your face gives it away. Your eyebrows are furrowed and your eyes are a little darker than usual," I said, and my hands went to his eyebrows on instinct. As I felt my face get red, his smile got bigger, and he kissed my hand. "You're here. The car doesn't matter," I said, embarrassing myself further.

"The car doesn't matter," he repeated in a murmur and kissed my hand again. I looked around in room, thinking that I would see curious faces, but it was empty.

"It's wrong to feel this way after you apparently cried, but you don't know how happy it makes me to know that you care this much about me," he said, tracing my cheeks with his fingertips and causing my already tired heart to do a leap in my chest.

"I… Of course, I care." My voice shook as he put his hands on my cheeks.

"I love you," he said, looking into my eyes, and I believed him with everything in me. Believing was not a problem. The problem was trusting that he would never leave me again. It was the only thing that was keeping me from him now. However, I didn't want to postpone things and think about every single action throughly because of that. I wanted to feel free and trust.

He thought I was not going to say it back. It was written on his face. His eyes were sad, but he had an understanding smile on his face as he slowly took his hands from my cheeks. With a courage that came out of nowhere, I held his hands with mine. I had to do it. I felt it, and I needed to say it. It was not something to hide. Not anymore.

"I don't really know why I still do after everything, and I think I'm really stupid because I still do," I rambled as he looked at me with hope evident on his face. "I love you, too," I whispered.

"Really?" Edward whispered too, and I nodded, smiling.

"You're really stupid," he said, smiling, and I hit his arm. It was like the old days for a minute, and I loved it. I longed for it.

"I won't let you down this time. I promise, I won't. I learned shit the hard way. I love you and our daughter so much, and I'll show it to you as long as you let me. You won't regret saying this to me. God, I will do everything to deserve those three words. You don't know what it means to me, knowing that you still love me," he rambled, his eyes opened wide and a large smile on his face.

"I can't say I trust you, but I won't learn to without trying. Staying away and thinking won't get us anywhere, and I'm kind of tired from hiding what I feel and staying away from you. Don't let me down," I said, whispering the last part, and his hold on my hands got tighter.

"I won't. Never," he swore. It didn't ease all of my fears, but I felt safe. It was enough for now. I would see the rest with time, and hopefully I would be able to trust him.

* * *

Hi everyone!

Before I start my rambling, I want to thank my awesome beta,** adt216. **Thank you so much!:)

And I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed last chapter. Your reviews mean a lot to me!:) I seriously didn't have time to reply. School is taking all of my time. I'm so sorry...

Oh, I saw Harry Potter and looveed it! I think it's the best one. What do you think? I actually loved Harry and Hermione scenes. I've always wanted them to be together. I'm not a big fan of Ginny.

Anyway, I'm shutting up now:)

Thank you so much for reading. Please let me know what you think.

Have a great weekend!

E.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

**BPOV**

"Pink one."

"No way."

"Yes, the pink one."

"Amie, the pink one is your dress, and it's most probably not going to fit your mom," Alice snapped as Amie crossed her arms and glared at Alice.

"It's big. Look. Momma and Rose say it's a big girl dress," she whined and pointed at the pink dress that we got for her from a sale. It was a little big for her, and Rose joked even I could fit into it. Amie hasn't shut up about it ever since.

"Thank you, sweetie. But it is too small for me. It's not a big girl dress," I said, trying to ease the mild tension between Alice and Amie. As sweet as it was that she was offering me her dress, her bickering with Alice and whining was making me even more nervous than I already was.

"That dress is ugly." Amie sighed, pointing out the dress that Alice was insisting I wear, and that was all it took for Alice. I swear she acted like she was four too.

"It's not ugly." Alice narrowed her eyes as she yelled, and I wanted to scream my head off. I was trying really hard to stay calm, and here my four year old and best friend were arguing about a freaking dress. The dress was the last thing on my mind. Well, maybe not the last thing, but there were other things more important now.

"Come on, girls. I'm a freaking mess here, and I don't want to scare Edward by fainting or something. Please, can I just wear whatever I want?" I begged for the third time that afternoon.

"You can't just wear what you want, Bella," Alice gasped. "It's your first date with Edward, and you need to look gorgeous. And that's why you called me, right?"

Yep, I did. I was the one who dug my grave. But, I was hopeless. I had no choice other than to call Alice.

"Okay, whatever," I mumbled and sat down on my bed, my head between my hands.

God, I was really, really nervous. I was going on a date with Edward tonight. With Edward… After five years… I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or cry. When Edward asked me if I wanted to go on a date after my confession, all I felt was happiness and excitement. Now I was getting frustrated. What would we do? How would it go? What would I say? Was it too soon?

"Alice, do you think it's too soon?"

"Too soon?" She snorted. "Well, I don't think it's too soon in general, but it would be nice if my brother gave you a few days so that you could calm down a little."

I couldn't help but smile. He was so cute asking me out and looking all nervous and shy last night after I confessed my love for him. It didn't even enter my mind that it was too early for a date when he asked. I found myself smiling like an idiot and accepting eagerly. I didn't want to wait. The car crash scare and confessions happened yesterday, and I was still high. Feeling like this was something I really missed, and I welcomed the feeling with open arms. It didn't mean that I was calm and collected though.

"Do you think everything is going to be good?" I knew I was being annoying and needy, but I needed to hear that everything would be okay. I needed assurance.

"Stop thinking so much. Everything's going to be awesome. You weren't freaking out this much yesterday with him," she said, and grinned cheekily causing me to grin too.

Oh, she was so right. I didn't even know how I managed to say and do the stuff I did yesterday. It turned out really good, but it still amazed me that I was that outspoken and fearless. Obviously, it took a false alarm for me to realise I was wasting time and letting something that had the potential to be good get away from me. I was such an idiot.

"Okay," I said and grabbed my make up bag with shaking hands. Peering inside, I felt my stomach twist. I had no idea what to do with it. Of course, I knew how to apply make up, but this was different. I gulped and grabbed my black eyeliner. Should I look natural or a little fancy? I just didn't have the slightest idea. That was exactly why I called Alice.

"Hey, stop freaking," Alice said gently, sitting down next to me. "You need to decide what to wear before makeup?" she said, taking the eyeliner from my hands.

"I don't have many choices, do I? The dress you brought, I guess," I mumbled, throwing a disdainful look at the dress that Alice brought with her. It wasn't that it was horrible. Actually, it was a cute strapless dress with a belt at the waist. It was just that I didn't wear skirts or dresses often, and that was why my mind was coming up with every horrible scenarios of me making an ass out of myself next to Edward.

"Come on, it's not that bad. It will look good on you. Now, go on and take a shower as I deal with this little party pooper here."

Amie was still pouting and playing with the hem of her pink dress as Alice shoved me into bathroom. I hated that she was sulking. It was making me feel like a failure, and this was causing me to feel even more nervous. I had no other choice but to let her sulk now though. I didn't have time. God, I was a horrible mother!

Without slipping or falling, I managed to take a shower and changed into a shirt and a pair of sweatpants. Couldn't I just go like that? Nope… Edward said dinner, and Alice had a strong suspicion that we wouldn't be going McDonalds. What if we were?

"Bella! Come on!"

Sighing, I went back to the room and much to my relief, Amie was smiling slightly now.

"Sit down," Alice said, and I obediently did as she said.

"I'm going to curl your hair, but not too much, okay? Just loose waves and nd light make up. Some peach colored powder and lip gloss. And mascara. That's okay, right?" Alice asked absent mindedly, combing my hair as I gaped at her.

Wow. In the past, she hadn't even bothered herself with explaining. I couldn't remember how many times she had done something to me that I didn't quite like. Her giving an option and not being pushy was too good to be true. I guess we all changed. God, what if Edward and I changed so much that we wouldn't even find anything to talk about? Groaning, I tried to push that thought away and focused on Alice.

"Yeah, that's good." I smiled, and she yelped in delight, grabbing my blow dryer eagerly.

"Here we go, then!"

It took nearly two hours for her to do my hair and make up, and I loved the result. My eyes looked pretty, and it was like I had no makeup on my face at all. I was sure I would make a mess if I had tried to do it myself, considering my shaky hands and overly active nerves.

"You look pretty," Amie said, looking at my face and hair in awe.

"Thank you, sweety. And thank you, Alice." I gave Alice a goofy grin. I was really grateful that she came all the way to my house and helped me.

"Oh, don't mention it. Edward will love you in that dress."

With the mentioning of Edward's name, Amie's ears perked up, and she frowned.

"I want to come with you and Daddy," she said out of nowhere. She had been doing that ever since I had told her yesterday that I was going out with Edward tonight. I told her it was a grown up thing and she could come with us next time, but obviously it wasn't enough for her to understand and back off.

"Amie, I promise you can come next time, but we have to talk about some serious things tonight. I'm sure you'll be so bored if you come with us. Isn't it more fun staying in with Alice and watching a movie?"

She eyed Alice for a minute and muttered, "No". I had to bite my lip to refrain from barking out a laugh as Alice gave Amie a dirty look. They had a weird relationship. They loved each other, but they fought like they were the same age.

"Come on, grumpy little thing. I'm pretty cool. We'll have fun. We can even call Emmett if you like," she said, and Amie's eyes lit up. She had so much fun with Emmett yesterday.

"Emmett is funny," Amie agreed and stopped whining for a few minutes, for which I was really thankful. She didn't stop complaining about trivial things though, making me feel guilty about leaving her alone and going out with her dad.

"I'm sure you'll have an amazing time with Alice and Emmett," I said as eagerly as I could when she started talking about Emmett again. I didn't want to leave her sad. She spent nearly all of yesterday with Sue and now she was going to be without me and Edward again.

"Where are you going?" Envy and resentment were evident in her voice, and I hated it.

"Just to dinner, darling. And then we'll come straight to you, okay?" I asked, not really knowing what Edward planned. It was so sudden, and I was sure he didn't really have a plan. Actually, I loved that everything was so spontaneous and cute.

"Okay," Amie mumbled and didn't say another thing. The second Alice pushed the flowery dress in my hands, I had to stop worrying about Amie. Instead, I worried for myself.

It had been so long since the last time I went out on a date. It was with Edward, of course, but so much time had passed since then. I didn't have a freaking clue about how I should behave, and that was making me really nervous. The thing that was even more ridiculous was that I found it so frustrating and pathetic that I was this nervous.

Taking deep breaths to calm myself down, I went to bathroom to put the dress on. I didn't know how Alice managed to find the dress that was exactly my size, but I liked the result. It looked really good on me, and I started to feel a little better.

"It looks awesome on you,"Alice shrieked, clapping her hands and Amie joined her, jumping on my bed. That kind of reaction caused me to feel even better, and I gave them a shaky smile.

"Thank you."

"A cream colored cardigan and flat shoes, and then you're done. And you look really amazing," Alice said, pulling a cardigan and a pair of shoes from her big carry-all bag. After putting them on and grabbing my clutch, I was ready. Edward still had five minutes, and it gave me enough time to ramble and get anxious. Alice was effective at shutting me up. Thank God…

"Stop being so dramatic. You're an adult who should have faith in herself. And don't forget that he loves you," Alice scolded me after I went on and on about how the night would be a disaster because of me.

The doorbell rang as I was about to say something, and Amie jumped to her feet, grinning. She didn't get to spend much time with her daddy yesterday, hence the whining all day. It was surprising and nice not to feel jealous of her affection for Edward like I had felt in the past. I guess I was really healing and forgiving Edward. This thought caused me to feel hopeful, and I went downstairs to meet Edward, smiling.

He was tickling and laughing with Amie when I first saw him, and I was glad for that. I wouldn't want him to catch me ogling him. He looked so handsome, and as a resulf of my late night phone conversation with Rose, I was entertaining some ridiculous thoughts right now. She suggested that I should let it go and do as my heart told me even if that meant pushing Edward on a bed. Her words. I was determined to listen to my heart, but I was also determined about that bed part. We were not going near a bed anytime soon. Well, I guess…

"Hi," I said a bit louder than I would have liked, and I sounded like a teenage girl. Well, way to start the night.

He turned to look at me, and his eyes widened. Was he blushing? He shook his head and looked down as Alice's loud giggle sounded in the room.

"You guys are so cute. I feel like a mom who is about to send her kids to their prom," she said, still giggling, and I rolled my eyes.

"Well, thanks Alice," Edward murmured as he looked at me from head to toe, causing me to blush wildly. He gave me a wicked smile and his eyes swept over me once again. A little longer this time if I may add. I cleared my throat and gave him a pointed look, and he averted his eyes quickly. Not that I didn't like his attention or anything. I loved that he was acting like this, and I really was feeling less nervous. But, he had Amie on his lap for God's sake.

After we said goodbye to a teary eyed and fussy Amie, we walked towards a black Mercedes, which I assumed, was Carlisle's. My heart was in my throat. We didn't speak other than saying hi, and the silence was making me feel nervous all over again. Just as I was building some courage to say something, Edward opened the passenger door for me and turned to look at me with excited eyes.

"Hi," he whispered once again, as his gaze fell on my lips. Not so subtle, but I liked it.

"Hi," I whispered back, giggling, and he closed the gap between us. Pressing a short kiss against my lips, he leaned back onto the car door and sighed.

"I'm sorry for ogling you like a caveman back there," he said, and I felt myself getting red again. "I couldn't help myself." His eyes were looking directly into mine, giving my poor heart no choice other than to beat wildly.

"Umm, that's okay," I said dazedly, and cursed myself afterwards. If this was the way I would act for rest of the night, I felt sorry for him.

"That's good, because you're so beautiful. It would be waste to not look at you," he murmured, pressing a kiss to my hair as I tried to refrain from fainting or jumping into his arms. I didn't know what to do with him, and it was only the beginning of the night.

* * *

**EPOV**

She looked so beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful…

And she was in my arms now, and I was the luckiest bastard on Earth.

As Emmett would like to refer to me…

But he was so damn right. I was the luckiest bastard on Earth, and I realized that even more the moment I saw Bella all dressed up and ready for our night together. She was giving me a chance. She was giving me a chance after everything. And even more important, she loved me.

I couldn't sleep all night because of those three words. Feeling like a teenager all over again, I tossed and turned all night, and I enjoyed every second of it. Knowing that she still loved me and she still wanted me was a spectacular feeling, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I even considered calling Sam to thank his cousin. Yes, the asshole wrecked my car, but who was I to complain if the accident lead to this. If it meant that Bella realized that she still loved me and wanted me.

I didn't know how the hell I was being so bold tonight, but I couldn't resist the urge to kiss her hair and hold her against me.

"Alice is watching," she mumbled, giggling, and I groaned. Maybe it was time to quit acting like a caveman and drive her to our date spot.

God, how I tried to come up with an idea for our date… When she told me she still loved me yesterday, something inside me snapped, and I knew that instant that I couldn't let go of her this time. I needed to do something immediately, and before even my brain and senses could register, I asked her out.

She said yes, and I was fucking high all through the night. The high vanished in the morning though. I didn't have a freaking idea about what to do or where to go for our date, and I had a feeling that I would screw it up. Emmett gave me a few ideas, but taking Bella to a sports pub and feeling her up while playing pool wasn't my thing. I didn't want her to scream and run off.

I spent all morning googling romantic date ideas and gagging to myself. Every idea that I read about seemed like a disaster waiting to happen. Not knowing what else to do, I decided to take a huge risk, and even now as I was holding Bella in my arms, I was still unsure and scared that she wouldn't like it.

I helped Bella into he car, ignoring her protests that she was not a kid. I loved my dad's car, and I was glad that I had an opportunity to drive it. I was going to ask Emmett to lend me his car, but Dad said I could take his, which made the night even more awesome for me.

"Is this car Carlisle's?" Bella asked as I fiddled with the radio to find something not being sung by a kid singer.

"Yeah," I said, and cleared my throat too loudly for my liking. Now that we were in the car and driving, my apprehension and nerves were eating me alive. Shit, I should've choosen a different place. She would hate it…

"Are you okay?" Bella asked, and I turned to see her biting her lip. Awesome, I was making her nervous too. I was such a coward who didn't deserve her in the least.

"Yes, just nervous," I admitted, and she let out a small giggle that made me smile.

"I am too, and I think it's funny that we're so nervous. You know we did this before," she said and added, "and so much more."

"So much more," I mumbled, and Amie's face came to my mind, giving me no other choice but to smile even bigger. She was a little fussy tonight, but she was also sweet as usual.

The rest of the drive passed with talk about Amie and shooting shy glances at each other. Bella was talkative and cheerful, which made me feel somehow better about my decision. Maybe she wouldn't hate it by some miracle.

"Where are we going?" Bella asked once we were in Port Angleles. We were passing the busy streets and driving into a much calmer area of the city, and I knew that it was a matter of time before she understood.

"Are we going to that… are we?" she whispered, as I turned onto a familiar country road, her almost choked voice made me stiffen in my seat.

"Yeah," I whispered back, not knowing what to say and regretting the decision to take her there. She would be uncomfortable. She didn't say anything. She just stared at the road, making me feel even more like an asshole for even thinking this would be a good idea.

Five minutes later, we were in front of the small, garden restaurant that I had taken her for our first date years ago. Bella let out a small sigh as she turned to look at the familiar, stone building, and I wanted to kick my own sorry ass. I guess it was my destiny to screw up with Bella.

"This place is still so beautiful," she whispered, turning to me. Seeing tears in her eyes did it for me.

"God, I'm such an asshole. I should've known that it would be uncomfortable for you. We're talking about fresh starts and here I'm taking to you the restaurant where we had our first date. I'm sorry, Bella. We can go anywhere else you want. Just name it," I begged her and turned the ignition of the car.

"No," she said, grabbing my hand. "I'm just surprised and a little overwhelmed, that's all. But I love this place. It has been so long since I've last eaten there. It was with you of course," she said softly, and I gave her an apologetic smile. "Those days weren't bad, and I think we can make new memories here."

I looked into her eyes to see any anger or faking, but she was sincere.

"You want to stay here?" I asked to be sure so that I wouldn't fuck it up any more than I already did with my crazy speech and almost breakdown.

"Yes." She giggled and ruffled my hair, causing me to gape like an idiot. What the hell happened to her to make her so comfortable with me all of a sudden? Not that I was complaining, but still…

Fifteen minutes later, we were sitting in the garden of the cozy, little restaurant, and Bella was looking around with a smile on her face.

"You know, I think it's pure genious that you chose this place," she said.

"You loved eating here," I said, remembering the times we came here to have cherry pies and a fond smile formed on my face.

"We have so many good memories here, and it makes me feel optimistic about the future. You know, coming here to talk about our future… It fits. It gives me hope," she explained. I didn't think of it like that. I just chose this place because Bella loved it. That was all.

"I… I'm so happy you think that," I mumbled, not really knowing what to say after she said something beautiful like that. She gave me a smile that made me stop breathing for a second, and I thanked my lucky stars that I chose this place.

We ordered our food and of course cherry pies with ice cream. We ate our food and engaged in an amicable conversation that skirted the topic of our future. We talked about the garden of the restaurant, my car, Carlisle's car, Amie and then again the garden. I was able to sense that she was getting nervous as she started to stay silent as I rambled.

"We should take Amie here. She would love this pie," I said as I took a large bite. "We can take her some tonight."

"Yes, she'd love it. It's delicious," she agreed, and we were silent once again.

"Do you want to stay here or go somewhere else?" I asked, feeling somewhat ashamed that I organised the lamest date ever.

"Can we stay here?" she asked, and I readily accepted. It was so much better than driving around the city to find a place. And the impending talk was making me frustrated.

We ordered lattes along with some chocolate and started devouring them as well. I was thinking that we wouldn't be talking tonight as Bella suddenly started to laugh. I quirked an eyebrow,and she laughed even more.

"God, all we did was eat tonight. We are supposedly here to talk," she said, giggling and I smiled, glad that she was finding humour in this weird situation.

"I think we're done eating. We can talk now."

"Almost," she said and popped a piece of chocolate into her mouth. "We can talk now."

"Yeah, okay," I mumbled, and we looked at each other for a few seconds. "This is harder than I expected," I said, and she nodded.

"I have a few questions. Shall I start with them?" she asked, and my heart did a leap in my chest. I gulped and nodded, not really having an idea what kind of questions were waiting for me.

"Did you really think that a baby would be such a nuisance for you? I don't mean it in a condescending way. I'm just curious. I thought I knew you, and you're now like the Edward I used to know. But the one who ordered me to have an abortion… It wasn't like you. I know you're not that cruel. You weren't," she said as I felt the tears of shame and frustration fill in my eyes. I knew that ugly mistake would never be forgotten. It shouldn't ever be forgotten…

"I don't know," I whispered, trying to keep the tears at bay. "I was so scared. I thought it would ruin everything, us. I did the first thing that came to my mind. I didn't even allow myself to think about the baby. We were the only ones I was thinking about, and I ruined that. And you were the only one I mourned for until Peter had his was when I understood exactly what I did. It killed me. I…" I choked up, and Bella placed her hand on top of mine.

"That's okay. I'm sorry for asking this again. I just wanted to hear it when I'm not fuming with anger," she said, smiling slightly.

"I love Amie. She's my everything. And I love you. I won't ever do anything like that again," I said, determinedly.

"I know. We love you, too," she said, and the fear and frustration vanished for a while, being replaced with joy. They would never fully vanish though. As long as I lived, I would be afraid that I would do something stupid and push them away from me. They were too good for me.

She smiled sweetly and cleared her throat, looking embarrassed all of a sudden. "Umm… I'm so sorry I'm asking this, but I need to know. You said you didn't date, but how many… you know… did you sleep with anyone?" she asked timidly.

"Zero," I said, and her eyes grew in disbelief.

"No way," she muttered to herself.

"Why is it so hard to believe?"

"I don't know. I knew you didn't date, but I thought you did it every now and then," she said, blushing fire red as I chuckled. "Don't laugh," she hissed.

"I'm sorry, love. I haven't done it with anyone else," I assured her softly and she nodded, avoiding my eyes.

"Not that I would be upset or anything if you had," she said, still not looking at me. "I haven't either," she whispered, triggering the primal instinct in me. I was glad that I was her one and only, and I hated myself for feeling like such a caveman at the same time.

I gave her a smile which she returned shyly, still red from embarrassment. "Do you have any more questions, love?"

"I think I'm embarrassed enough for a lifefime," she mumbled. " I don't even know why…"

I cut her off. I didn't want her to feel like that. She was the only woman I ever loved and she had every right to know about what I did when we were apart. "That's okay. You have every right to ask. And for the record, I spent those five years moping around and missing you," I said softly as she let out a strangled laugh.

"It was like that for me. I hated you when I was pregnant with Amie, but I missed you like crazy at the same time," she recalled fondly, and grabbed my hands.

"Tell me all about it," I asked, and she started telling me what I missed.

Instead of filling with guilt and shame as I usually did when she talked about her past five years, I was filled with hope and anticipation. For some unknown reason, she was with me again, and I knew that we would make it.

Everything would be good for us in the end.

* * *

Hi everyone!

I'm so sorry it took me this long to update. When an English graduate goes to film school, she needs to study a lot:) Screenwriting, camera angles, lights... I'm about to go nuts. I missed watching a movie without taking mental notes about its camera angles. Anyway, I'm not complaining. I love it:)

Anyway I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed last chapter. I promise I will reply every single review from now on. (winter break, yay!)

And I want to thank to my awesome beta **adt216**.

Lastly, I will update Ideal Husband really, really soon. I'm about to finish the chapter.

So, finally, they went out. What do you think? Please let me know.

Merry Christmas!

E.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

**EPOV**

It was nearly two in the morning when we arrived in Forks and parked in front of Bella's home. The much needed talk that took place between us left me eager to learn more about their lives, but we didn't have any more time. Her life had been really hard as she tried to raise Amie in Seattle, and I really hated myself for it. But the way she talked about Amie and how she was as a baby made me put my self loathing aside and smile. I just wished I hadn't been such a coward and had been with them all that time.

All night kept smiling and giving me signs that there was hope in our future. That was why I was trying to put self pitying aside and do something constructive instead of sulking. I spent so much time doing the wrong things and then hating myself for them. It was time to act. Nonetheless, that didn't mean that I would ever forgive myself. I would not.

"Why is the light is still on?" Bella said, worry evident in her voice.

"Alice must be watching TV. I don't think Amie can stay up this late." I smiled. She could never stay up later than eleven at night.

Bella nodded and we walked to her door in silence. It eerily resembled to our first date, and that thought made my hope double in size. We had kissed at the end of that night. Would we now?

"So… I had a nice night. Thank you," she said, shuffling her feet, and I started fidgeting too. God, why was it so hard all of a sudden?

"Thank you for going out with me," I said in return, trying not to stare at her lips. It was hard though. I had a daughter with this woman, and suddenly it was nerve wracking to get the courage to kiss her.

"You're welcome." She gave me a smile.

I made a move toward her just as she made one toward me, causing us to both laugh awkwardly. I had to kiss her though. I needed to do it. I knew I would regret it if I didn't do it. I tried to come up with a smooth way to start a kiss, but words left my lips before my brain could come up with one. And I was definitely not smooth.

"Bella, may I kiss you?"

Her eyes widened and she gulped, nodding. "Yes."

I took a step towards her, my heart going wild and my palms sweaty as hell. I knew it was the turning point. Knowing that she was trying to forgive me and was giving me a chance was one thing, but being able to kiss her and feel her was another.

I pressed my lips to hers, and unlike the last time, she responded. Feeling her pressure on my lips was a divine feeling that I had missed so much in the last five years. Right in that second, I swore that I would never ever let her go again no matter what. Even if she changed her mind about forgiving me, I would beg and plead until the end of time.

The door swung open and Alice's voice made Bella end the kiss and take a step back. I turned to glare at Alice, and she gave me an equally lethal glare.

"Thank God! Your daughter hates me! She's still awake, and she's watching TV with Emmett. Do whatever you need to do. I'm going home. I'm freaking tired." Giving Bella a kiss, she ran to her car and drove off.

Bella let out a nervous laugh. "I don't even want to know what's happening inside."

I nodded, and we stepped inside of the house. Emmett and Amie were sprawled on the couch, Emmett holding a beer bottle and Amie holding a juicebox. _Teletubies _was on, and they had matching grins on their faces.

"Amie, what are you doing at this hour? Aren't you tired?" Bella's voice got their attention and Amie jumped towards us.

"It's my bonding time with Uncle Em," Amie exclaimed loudly as Emmett nodded, smiling.

"At this hour? And what did you do to Aunt Alice?" I asked this time, giving Emmett a disbelieving look.

"We didn't realise it was that late. Sorry, Eddie. As for, Ali. She tried to feed Amie broccoli, and from that moment, it wasn't too good for Alice. Your little girl holds a grudge," Emmett said, snickering and Amie laughed too. I wondered if she even knew what Emmett's words meant.

"Okay, that's enough. Emmett, you can go home now." Bella's voice reeked of authority, giving Emmett no choice other than to go.

When Emmett was gone and it was just three of us, Amie yawned and gave me a bright smile.

"Daddy, I'm sleepy."

"Oh, Miss, you are not getting away with this," Bella said, obviously immune to her cuteness. "You know it's wrong of you to stay up this late and upset Alice. You're lucky that Grandpa isn't home. You made me and your dad very, very upset, Amie."

"But broccoli tastes gross, and Alice is boring. She doesn't watch TV with me."

"It doesn't matter. You're grounded." Bella looked stern as I gaped at her. Grounded? How can a four year old be grounded?

"You're going to have broccoli for dinner tomorrow, or should I say today? And, no TV for today, either."

The following fifteen minutes passed with me trying to calm a crying Amie and avoiding Bella's glares, who obviously thought I was spoiling Amie way too much. Apparently, I was too forgiving for Bella's liking and Amie used it to her own benefit. Maybe, Bella was right, considering the way Amie clutched my shirt while she cried. Amie had a point though. I hated broccoli too.

"Sucking up to your dad won't get you out of trouble, Amie. Go upstairs. It's nearly three in the morning," Bella chided, and Amie bolted to the stairs without giving me a second glance. I snickered, and Bella gave me a pointed look.

"She thinks she can get anything from you," Bella mumbled. "Which is totally true."

"I'm sorry. I just can't stand to see her crying. You're right though," I admitted, giving her a sheepish smile.

"She stayed up until three in the morning, and I don't even know what the hell they did to poor Alice. She's getting a little spoiled." She gave me a smile back as I shrugged.

"Don't say you can't stand to see her upset," she said.

"Well, okay," I replied as we walked to the door, and my mind immediately went back to our interrupted kiss. Would she think I was a pig if I tried to initiate it again?

"Are you working tomorrow?" Bella's timid voice brought me out of my pondering.

"A morning shift, yes," I replied, internally groaning that I had to wake up in three hours for work.

"I was wondering if you could come here tonight. You know, to tell Amie… that we are trying again." Her words caused a large smile on my face. I knew that Amie wouldn't understand what exactly was going on, but I still was sure that she would be happy. She wanted us together.

"And we have to tell my dad," Bella continued, and that wiped the smile off my face. Telling Charlie would surely be interesting, but I had no desire to be a coward.

"I'll be here whenever you want me. I can't wait to tell Amie."

Bella's returning smile was so beautiful that I found myself once again debating about how to initiate a kiss without looking creepy or desperate. Hell, I had no problem looking desperate, I just didn't want to freak her out.

"I should get going home. Amie needs to sleep. It's late," I said, and she nodded taking a step toward me.

"Yes, she does. And you do too. A morning shift and all," she said, and it was me who took a step toward her this time.

I didn't know how exactly it happened, but a few seconds later we were kissing desperately. Actually, I knew how it happened. Bella pushed me until my back hit the door and then started kissing me. That was exactly how it happened, and I was enjoying every second of it. How could I not? Before I understood, her tongue was in my mouth and her hands were pulling my hair. Becoming too dizzy with lust, I let go and started rubbing her back as I kissed her back. Just as my creepy hands went dangerously close to her ass, Amie's whining voice sounded.

"Momma!"

Bella stopped kissing me and murmured, "Oh my God."

"Yes, indeed."

"It still feels the same. The same as five years ago."

"Good to know. Great, actually, it's even better," I said as I held her tighter.

"Yeah. Oh, I… I have no idea why I attacked you. Sorry," she whispered, causing me to chuckle. She was still holding the back of my head, and her face was not visible. I pried her hands away so that I could see her, and unsurprisingly she was flushed and looked anxious.

"I enjoyed it. You don't need to feel sorry." I smiled and she let out a breathless laugh.

"I should go check Amie, and you should go sleep. Goodnight."

"Yeah, but the door is kind of blocked right now."

"Oh, sorry," she said as she took a few steps back, releasing me from my all too willing inprisonment. "I don't know what happened to me. It must be the wine."

I hoped it wasn't wine, but I held my tongue. She was already beyond red, looking so embarrassed, so I didn't want to cause her any distress.

After a few more kisses which were too short for my liking, we finally said goodbye. By the time I entered my apartment, I was dead on my feet with sleep deprivation and even my couch seemed so good. I dragged my feet to my bedroom nonetheless.

The annoying sound of my trusty alarm clock woke me up at the crack of dawn, making me curse at my dad loudly. He had so many doctors under his control yet he still chose to wake his son at the crack of dawn. I knew it was work and he was being professional, but it still pissed me off so bad when I had to wake up early.

I was grumpy and snappy all day long at work, and everyone kept a long distance from me, understanding that I wasn't in the mood. After working my shift, I went to home to take a nap so that I could look like a human being when we talked to Amie and Charlie. Excitement and nervousness were too distracting though. Not being able to sleep, I spent all afternoon in front of the TV. Just as I was about to leave the house, I got a text message from a number that I had never seen before.

_I know why you're coming to my house this evening. Hurt my daugter once again, and I'll kill you with my bare hands._

I gulped and put my phone back into my pocket. Telling Charlie would sure be fun.

* * *

**BPOV**

"Rose, can you hear me? I kissed him. I attacked him. I was all over him. I don't know why I did that. He's coming this evening. We're telling Amie and Dad. Do you think it'll be a disaster?"

"Yeah, umm… sure."

Rose's answering grunt left me frustrated and curious. Ever since I had called her two minutes ago, all she did was say yeah and grunt in response. I was pouring my heart out for God's sake.

"I can hang up if you want. We can talk later. Hopefully when you're feeling like you can talk other than grumbling one word responses." My anger was getting the best of me.

"Bella, ummmm, wait," she said, and then gasped. For a few seconds all I could hear was some tumbling and rustling and then Rose's muffled wailing reached my ears. I stood in the middle of the living room, holding the phone to my ear and wondering if someone was trying to murder Rose. I heard a man's voice grunting and then it came to me. Eww, God, I knew what the hell was happening over there.. She was definitely having a lot fun right now. Was she doing that while she talked to me? With a man? Really, eww!

I ended the call immediately and dropped the phone onto the couch as if it burned my hand. Well, it burned my ears. Unfortunately, after living with Rose for five years, I knew that she liked having a good time. She never brought a man to our apartment after Amie was born, but before that was another story. She wasn't a nun like me, and she liked to explore.

I didn't want to be like a nun though. Something switched on inside me last night. My mind immediately went to my kiss with Edward, and I found myself sighing and fidgeting again. I was restless all night long and now felt like I was about to go insane with something indescribable.

I had no idea what caused me to throw myself at him in the first place, but that action caused me to have so many ideas about what I wanted to do with him, to him. Having such creepy and perverted thoughts when I had a four year old hanging all over me was making me feel a bit guilty at the same time. Yeah, a bit.

Dad entered the living room and gave me a questioning look. He was acting rather grumpy and mopey from the moment I told him that Edward was coming to dinner. I didn't mention the reason specifically, but he got it. And he didn't like it. Since he had a point and was just thinking of me, I didn't say anything, but that didn't mean that he wasn't making me nervous. Giving it a chance with Edward was already a hard decision for me without his obvious annoyance.

"Amie is sulking upstairs. She refuses to come down. What the hell is happening?" he asked, plopping down the couch.

"She made Alice upset last night and stayed up late with Emmett as if they were beer buddies."

He snickered. "Well, she is much better than when she first came here. She isn't so shy around people anymore. The Alice thing is bad though."

"Staying up late is bad too, Dad," I said as I climbed the stairs. "She's four, not twenty four."

Dad's laughter sounded as I opened my bedroom door and found Amie sitting on her bed. She still had her pajamas on and she was trying to cuddle the giant Hello Kitty Edward gave her. Since the thing was so big and her arms were short, it was a really funny sight.

"You're cuddling that instead of me?"

Hearing my voice, she looked up at me and pouted. I knew it was going to be this way after all the tongue lashing she had to endure when I helped her into her pajamas.

"I'm not unresponsible," she said, trying to pronounce the last word correctly as I tried to stiffle my giggles. Yeah, I might have told her that she was acting irresponsible for making her babysitter/aunt a run for the hills and staying up late with Emmett. She didn't even know the meaning of word.

"I'm sorry. You're not. But do you understand what I'm really mad about?" I asked, sitting on the bed.

"I made Alice sad, and I didn't go to sleep on time," she answered, sounding too frustrated for a four year old. I couldn't blame her. She had a silly mom, who couldn't think about anything other than the way she threw herself at a man. Suddenly thinking that I had been acting like a bitch to Amie, I picked her up and snuggled.

"We're going to call Alice, and you'll say you're sorry. And you can watch TV for a little while. I'm sorry about broccoli though. They're already washed, cut and waiting to be cooked.

We called Alice, and I learned that she in fact had acted as immature as Amie. According to Alice's version, when Amie had refused to eat what she had cooked, she, instead of letting it go, had forced Amie and that had caused Emmett to make a rather snarky comment, giving Amie the courage to make stupid comments about Alice as well. Emmett and Amie had spent the whole night criticizing Alice's hair and shoes, and it had driven Alice crazy. Really mature behaviour there. When Amie said the broccoli had been also burned, another argument was about to take place. Thinking and acting quickly, I grabbed the phone and said goodbye to Alice.

I spent the rest of the afternoon cooking and cleaning, and found myself on more than one occasion grinning madly. Dad was eyeing me like a hawk as he kept checking his phone. He said he had a date with Sue this evening, so he couldn't make it to the dinner, not surprising me in the least. I had already guessed that he would do anything to avoid sitting in the same room with Edward. Well, at least he was going to listen to what we had to say before he went.

The moment Edward arrived, one could cut the tension with a knife. Dad had an extremely sour expression and looked like he would rather being anywhere other than our living room. Amie was delightedly sitting on a really pale looking Edward's lap, and I was marching the hallway between kitchen and living room making excuses about preparing dinner. I was just a coward. After putting the flowers that Edward brought into a vase, I had nothing else to do. I sucked it up and went to the living room.

"How are you, Chief Swan?"

"So, is there a reason we're together now?" Dad asked, cutting the small talk that Edward was trying to make.

"Dad," I warned, but he just rolled his eyes and continued to look at Edward.

"I believe there is," Edward answered, smiling at me, and I started to go back to my day dreaming. I was so stupid. But he was sitting in front of me, and he looked really tired in a sexy way. What? Okay, I was losing it.

_My dad and Amie are in the room. My dad and Amie are in the room,_ I chanted inside and tried to look normal.

"Ok, you have my undivided attention," Dad said gruffly, and suddenly I didn't know what to say. It was Amie who we intended to give an explanation to, but all of a sudden Dad was making me feel more nervous.

"We kind of decided to get back together and see how it goes," I mumbled, my voice getting weaker and weaker with each word. Edward tried to give me a reassuring smile, but it was written on his face that he was edgy as well.

"I figured that much." Dad sighed. " I'm not going to make a scene in front of young eyes. You're a grown woman, Bella. I just hope you'll be more cautious this time. I guess I can't say anything to change your mind anyway… Not that I approve of your decision," Dad said, eyeing Edward. His words were expected and they didn't sting. Also, I knew I had to expect a long talk with him. He was silent because Amie was looking at everyone with big, curious eyes.

"Dad, thank you," I whispered, knowing that he had hurt with me as well, and now he was acting very mature.

"You don't need to thank me, Bella. I love you," he said and kissed my cheek. "I gotta go now. Sue's waiting."

After kissing Amie goodbye and glaring at poor Edward some more, Dad left, leaving the three of us alone in silence.

"That went well. He didn't say anything mean," I said to break the silence and Edward nodded.

"Yeah, I think."

"It's time to tell her." I gestured to Amie and a smile crept up on his face. He would surely like telling Amie more than telling the intimidating Chief Swan.

How to tell a four year old? We are trying to solve our issues? We're going to try to be together? She seemed not to understand anything from the conversation that we had with my dad. Edward looked more clueless than me, so I gave it a shot.

"Honey, I had a talk with your dad last night," I said and took a deep breath. Thinking that it would be best if I just let go of the words, I spoke. "We are going to try being girlfriend and boyfriend again."

Amie's loud shriek caused Edward to jump and nearly drop her. "We're going to live together? Please? Like Emma and Riley's dad? Can Daddy move with us? Your bed is big. He can sleep there," Amie babbled excitedly as Edward laughed and I tried to avoid pondering too much about her comment about my 'big' bed.

"Umm, kind of like Emma and Riley's parents, but we're not married. And your dad has his own apartment."

"I think you should get married," my wise daughter said, causing Edward to laugh harder. Not being able to help myself, I found myself giggling too. Her excitement was very endearing.

"And why's that?"

"Because then we can live together. Married people have to live together. And I can have a brother."

The word 'brother' caused me cease laughing immediately. Was she still thinking about that? Oh God! We were barely kissing without making a big deal of it, and here she was basically asking us to have sex. Without intending to ask it, of course. Not that I was fully opposed to the idea of sex, but… whatever.

"We can't do that right now, Amie. But I can promise you that you will have a brother or sister when we get married," Edward said, winking at me over Amie's head, and I found myself becoming bothered and frustrated at the same time. As much as I would like to think that I was feeling frustrated because he made a stupid promise to Amie, I knew that the reason was different deep down inside me.

"Can I please have a brother, Daddy? I don't want a sister. Brother," Amie said seriously as Edward tried to keep a stern face but failing at it miserably. Great, not only was she ordering us to have sex, she was giving extra special orders about the gender of the said sibling.

"We'll… ahh see," Edward said and burst out into laughter, startling Amie. It was the weirdest conversation and situation, but I soon started to laugh with him. Everything was so tragically funny in this situation.

"Okay," Amie happily said and jumped on her feet to go God knows where in the house. We had a little time until dinner, so she had some free time.

"You seem awfully sure of yourself about the marriage and the baby thing," I said to Edward the moment Amie disappeared.

"I am not. I'm just sure that I'm not letting you go. And marriage and baby wouldn't be so bad." Hope was so evident in his voice and he made me feel it too. I was so afraid, but I also wanted to live and take everything he promised.

"When it's the right time."

He smiled at my words. "When it's the right time."

"It's actually too weird and embarrassing to talk about these kinds of things with Amie. It just feels wrong," I said, feeling myself blush.

"She's too persistent about having a baby brother. Now that we promised, I think she'll stop asking about it."

"I hope so." But I knew that she would get even more persistent.

Dinner was a fussy affair. Amie refused to eat her broccoli, and Edward's expression didn't help either.

"Edward, can you eat your vegetables?" I whispered fiercely as Amie was engaged in cutting her chicken.

"Why? I don't like them," he whined. He was even worse than Amie.

"She's not going to eat hers if she sees you're not eating. And, believe me, she needs to eat it."

Poor Edward looked like I wanted the most impossible thing from him and took a bite of his broccoli. He chewed a few times and swallowed, his face neutral.

"Amie, your vegetables," I practically ordered as she pushed hers around her plate.

"They're gross."

"No, they're not-" the phone rang and I stood up to answer it, giving Edward a meaningful look in the process.

It was a colleague of Charlie. When I went back to sit at the table, all of Amie's and Edward's vegetables were gone, and Amie was chewing furiously.

"Did you eat all of them?" I asked, not believing for a single second that they did. I was sure that they were in the trash or in between a napkin.

"Yes, it's not that bad when you take large bites and swallow without chewing too much, right, Amie?" Edward asked and Amie nodded furiously attacking her juice. One would think that I forced them to eat something really horrible. It was just broccoli. It was healthy. Also, Amie deserved a little punishment.

"Well, thank God you two didn't choke to death," I muttered and Edward snickered, grabbing my hand.

The rest of the evening went very nicely and Amie was all smiles, giggling at everything Edward said or did. When Edward came to our home with a white furry kitten under his arm, I finally had a pretty good idea about the whole broccoli event. Edward proved my thoughts with a little smooth talking and threatening done on my part. Amie was one little sneak. When her dad had asked her what he had needed to do for her to eat her vegetables, she had innocently asked for a kitten. Amie named her kitten Kitty and it was a cute furry thing.

My relationship with Edward improved after that night as well. Obviously encouraged by the way I was all over him on our date night, he didn't have any problem kissing me whenever the occasion presented itself. Of course, I wasn't complaining. It felt so nice to not feel resentment and anger toward Edward. Whenever I felt like I was remembering those feelings, he did something entirely mind blowing and I found myself clinging to him with all smiles. Bringing me flowers, trying to cook me my favorite food, murmuring my favorite songs. He was smooth. He was as sneaky as his daughter.

By the time the week was over and the weekend rolled in, Edward really had to go to Seattle for work. Not really wanting to spend the weekend away from him, I decided to surprise Rose with a visit. She called me to apologise after that gross conversation, but we didn't really have a chance to sit and talk.

Edward was ecstastic that we were going to Seattle with him. Unlike the last time, this trip passed in laughter and singing. I could feel Amie watching us intently from her seat in the back of the car, Kitty next to her in her travel cot, and the contented smile on her face was making me feel even happier. We were acting like the epitome of a family that even had a pet, and it was not forced in the least.

When we were in front of Rose's door, I rang the bell, feeling smug and happy that she would be so surprised to see me holding hands with Edward. Well, all the smugness evaporated from my face, leaving shock in its place the moment a half naked guy opened the door. A half naked Emmett to be more specific.

"Emmett?" Edward shrieked, dropping my hand to shield Amie's eyes.

"Emmett, is it the pizza guy?" Rose's cheerful voice sounded as she appeared in the hallway, wearing nothing but a skimpy nighty.

"Surprise," I muttered faintly as Edward burst into laughter.

* * *

Hey!

I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed last chapter!:) I wrote review replies. I hope you got them.

I also want to thank my beta **adt216** for fixing my mess.

Amie has two chapters and an epilogue left. I'm planning to write a brief lemon for the next chapter. Do you think I should?

Have a great day!

E.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

**EPOV**

"So, what's up?" Emmett muttered as Bella's fierce whispering and Rosalie's loud protests were heard from Rosalie's bedroom. Bella had grabbed Rosalie's hand the moment we had entered the house, and they had been talking ever since.

"Not much." I grinned as he shifted uncomfortably on his spot. He was still bare chested and hugging a cushion to his chest.

"Hey, Amie, what's up, honey?" he asked, and Amie just gave her a shrug. Thank heavens, she was too little to understand what actually was going on, but she knew something was definitely up.

When his attempt to break the silence was failed, Emmett huffed and stood up, dropping the cushion on the couch.

"Are you going to swimming?" Amie asked, tilting her head and looking at Emmett's hairy chest.

"Why? What?" Emmett said, looking confused and embarrassed. It was so refreshing to see him embarrassed, and it was funny that it was Amie who was causing him to.

"You don't have a shirt on," Amie said and I couldn't help but start laughing again.

"Well, umm. Rose," Emmett shouted as he started to walk to her bedroom where their hushed voices were still coming from. "Can you toss me my shirt? They keep staring at me and it's freaking me out."

I tried to keep my my shut since Amie was perched on my lap with her kitten in her hands, but it was damn impossible. ""It's not our fault that you're sitting in your swimtrucks inside, right, Amie?"

Amie nodded and asked, "Are they going swimming? Can we go too?" It was obvious from her expression that she knew I was going to say yes. Bella was right. I was spoiling her, but I couldn't not do what she wanted. When she asked for that kitten, I promised myself that it would be the last thing that I would cave on, but I had a feeling that it wouldn't be. Going swimming wasn't anything big anyway.

"They're not, darling, but we can go if you want," I said as Emmett came back wearing a shirt and a much more relaxed expression.

"Uncle Emmett loves swimming so much that he came all the way here to swim without telling us," I said, putting emphasis on swim as Emmett glared at me. I didn't know why, but I got a kick out of this situation. I really was happy for him, but I thought it was hilarious that they got caught like that.

"Yeah, your dad hasn't swam in a really long time." Emmett's response nearly made me choke. "I don't think he will get to swim anytime soon," he added, sounding smug as I gave him the filthiest glare ever. The fact that it was true made me hold even more of a grudge against his grinning ass.

"Hey." Bella sat beside me as Rosalie sat on the floor right in front of her. She had put something on as well.

"Am I forgiven? Please?" she whined like a little girl as Bella looked anywhere but at her. "I was going to tell you. I just wanted to be sure. You know I don't usually have normal relationships and I just wanted to be sure that it was something worthy of sharing with someone. I-"

"Well, what did you conclude? Is it worthy?" Bella cut off Rosalie, and I saw Emmett stiffen.

"It is. I really was going to call you and tell you everything," Rosalie said, as Emmett threw himself on the floor right next to her.

"I was afraid for a moment that you were going to kick me out," he breathed and Rosalie gave him a sweet smile that I didn't know she was capable of. She then turned her eyes to Bella, pleading.

"I'm happy for you, and I'm not mad anymore. I was just upset that you kept it from me, but I understand your reasoning." Bella's words caused Rosalie to giggle and bounce like Amie did when she was happy.

"Thank you, and I'm really happy for you too," she said, gesturing to my hand that was resting on Bella's thigh. I didn't even know that I put it there. Muttering an apology, I snatched my hand away as if it was on fire.

Bella's cheeks colored as she thanked Rosalie and glanced at me. She gave me a smile and I smiled back, thanking God that she wasn't angry that I was groping her in public. Maybe Emmett was right. It had been so long that my hands were getting a mind of their own.

"God, you're sickeningly sweet like a high school couple," Rose cooed and grabbed Amie from my lap. "And, you've got a family pet. So domestic," she teased as Bella giggled.

"And, they're going swimming soon," Emmett said, grinning madly, almost making me deck him.

"Well, I hope someone doesn't screw it up this time," Rose remarked, totally ignoring Emmett's comment and gaining my full attention.

"Nothing like that is going to happen,"I informed Rosalie, but my eyes were on Bella. She grabbed my hand and held it in between hers, and this gesture was enough for me. Even if she didn't completely trust me, she was on her way to trust, which meant a lot.

Rose nodded, giving me a smile, and turned to Amie, who was watching all the interaction like a hawk. Sometimes I wondered if she actually got what was going on, but the thought caused me to panic. I couldn't even handle the thought of her knowing what I had done to her and her mom five years ago. She would hate me if she knew. There was no other way, and it had caused me too many sleepless nights. I knew that she would ask me about my absence someday, and I also knew that I would have to tell her the truth. I just didn't know how to do that without making her hate me.

"Are you happy that your momma and daddy made up, honey?" Rose asked Amie and got a huge smile in return.

"They're going to get married, and I will have a brother. Daddy promised."

"Did he? Really?" Emmett asked, raising an eyebrow as Rosalie cackled loudly.

"What are you doing today, Rose?" Bella tried to change the topic, only causing Rose to laugh even more. She was as obnoxious as Emmett. They were a match made in heaven.

We had breakfast in Rosalie's and I went to see the doctor Dad had wanted me to see. He had some documents that Dad wanted. I asked him why he couldn't just ask his friend to mail them to him, but Dad was adamant that I should meet prominent doctors and get acquainted with them for the sake of my future career. Well, he was a successful doctor and my boss, so I rarely questioned him.

Bella didn't want to stay too long at Rosalie's house since it was obvious that Emmett wasn't going anywhere. I picked up Amie and Bella, and we headed to Forks that night. Rosalie tried to make Bella stay, but her efforts were in vain. Bella was adamant about going back to Forks.

"I can't believe Rose didn't tell me about Emmett," she whispered, as we were in the car and going back to Forks. Amie's cute, little snoring was a tell tale sign that she was asleep. She never could stay awake in a car at night, always giving into the lure of the dim light and the slight rocking of the car.

"Yeah, are you upset?" I asked, already knowing that she was. She told Rosalie otherwise because she didn't want to upset her, but I knew Bella.

"Wouldn't you be? Emmett is good and all, but she's my bestfriend. I tell her everything, every little, embarrassing thing, and she doesn't do the same." She sighed. "I understand her at the same time, and I know I shouldn't be mad or upset. It's not so unusual that she has so many relationships, so that's not a reason to keep it from me. It's not like I have had an amazing relationship or anything," she said and slapped her mouth with her hand.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. Are you upset? Our relationship was amazing, but I'm talking about the time when I was in college, right? I mean I wasn't dating you then, but-"

"Hey, it's okay," I cut her off. "We were good until I ruined it. I know it. I'm not upset." I gave her a smile, and it widened when I noticed that she was beet red.

"Everything will be amazing again," I said, finding her frustration over the fear of hurting me so endearing. She nodded, biting her lip and looking shy all of a sudden, her face getting even redder.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," she squeaked, making my curiosity tenfold.

"It's not nothing if you're blushing this much," I said in a soothing voice, hoping that she would just tell me.

"It's just that they've moved pretty fast in their relationship, you know. It makes me wonder about our relationship, and I think I want to go slower."

Oh, it was about sex then. As much as I wanted to, I knew I couldn't just jump in the bed with Bella. She was only starting to trust me, and I didn't want to overwhelm our relationship by doing something stupid like causing her to feel pressured.

"I don't want you to feel pressured, Bella. You determine the pace, and I'll do whatever you say whenever you want. I'm your slave," I said as she giggled.

"Not that I don't want to do that," I added just in case there was any question about my willingness in her mind. It wasn't likely, but still…

She fidgeted in her seat and mumbled an okay, making me grin despite the situation. I loved how shy she was, and that was also one of the reasons I wanted her to want that thing to happen between us. I didn't want her to force herself.

The second we turned onto Bella's street, we saw Alice waiting at the front door of Bella's house under the pouring rain. Her hair was a mess, and she was jumping up and down.

"What the hell?" I muttered as I parked the car .

"I don't know. Can you get Amie? I'll go and talk to her." Bella got out of the car and and quickly pulled Alice inside of the house.

"Daddy." Amie's sleepy voice pulled my attention away from staring at the now empty spot that held Alice a few seconds ago. I felt it in my gut that something was wrong, and I hoped that it wasn't really big. Sighing, I turned to Amie.

"I'm right here, princess."

It was hard, but I managed to get Amie inside, shielding her from the rain with my jacket and drenching myself in the process. Alice was crying and rocking herself, as Bella rubbed her back with a smile on her face.

"Edward, can you put Amie in bed, and I'll get Alice something dry to wear. And then we'll talk, okay?" I nodded, my eyes still on Alice, and started to climb the stairs. Suddenly, Charlie came to my mind,and I abruptly turned to Bella, making her giggle.

"My dad isn't home. He's always at Sue's nowadays. He basically moved in with her."

I resumed climbing the stairs, this time feeling sure that noone was lurking upstairs to shoot me. Putting Amie into her pajamas was demanding, but I did it nonetheless. She felt asleep even before I could read the bedtime story she practically ordered me to read in her sleepy haze. She was a little bossy around me since I did everything she asked, but she was my girl. I couldn't say no.

Getting Kitty out of the car, I put her in the hallway where her bed was and entered the living room, fearing that Alice was still crying and that it was something really,really bad.

"Alice, hey," I muttered, and she gave me a bright smile, confusing me.

"Hi, I'm sorry I caused you guys to panic. I was a little overwhelmed and just wanted to talk to Bella to get some advice. But she wasn't at home and the rain started pouring down. I had just arrived here ten minutes ago actually," she chirped as Bella laughed. Okay, really, I would like to know what was going on.

"Are you okay, Alice?" I asked in horror, as she burst into tears again.

"Yes, no, I really have no idea. Jasper says it's wonderful that we get to do this when we're young, but I know I won't be good at it. The wedding, oh and the wedding, Bella what am I going to do?"

"Alice, come on, calm down. Jasper's right. And the wedding will be a little different than the one you wanted. But you're getting married the man you love and you're having his baby. Alice, this is great," Bella gushed, as my mouth dropped open.

"What? Baby? Alice?" I babbled like an idiot as Alice started to laugh again. I waited patiently for her to wipe her tears and blow her nose, and then she spoke, smiling and and throwing herself at me.

"Yes, you're going to be an uncle, and I hope my kid tortures you like yours tortures me."

* * *

**BPOV**

It had been a month since the day we found Alice crying in the rain at my front door. She had been driving me crazy ever since. She had to be the crankiest and moodiest pregnant woman ever. One minute everything was good and then a minute later she was screaming and crying.

Actually, she was exaggerating everything, but since it was in her nature and she was pregnant, I kept my mouth shut. But her wedding planning along with baby talk was killing me. She kept me and Esme in their house, barking out orders about the wedding. Yes, her wedding was in a week, and it was driving her nuts. We were now sitting on the front porch of the Cullens' and going over the wedding preparations as the men grilled some meat.

"Why me? Nothing is going to be ready for the wedding, and my dress is fucking ugly," she spat throwing a bridal magazine to the table as Amie's eyes widened comically. The funny thing was she was now scared shitless of Alice. Gone was the Amie who made fun of Alice with Emmett.

"Your dress isn't ugly, honey," Esme cooed. I swear she was the most patient person in the whole world.

"But it's not the dress I wanted. Why can't I get the dress I want? Because of Jasper," she cried into her hands as Esme rolled her eyes. She was repeating the same things over and over ever since we started planning her wedding a month ago.

I knew that she was actually happy and really excited about the baby. Jasper was over the moon too. He did everything Alice ordered him to do without question, and what's more important, he always kept a goofy smile on his face. I heard him telling Edward that he wanted a girl like Amie, and that statement made me understand how much he liked kids because Amie was being a pain in the ass since she was not the center of the attention with all that wedding preparations going on. Carlisle and Esme were happy too. Esme told us that Carlisle cried when he heard the news, but made her promise that she wouldn't tell anyone.

Actually Edward was the only one who was sulking in the family besides Alice, but hers was hormonal. I knew that he wanted to spend time with me. I really wanted the same, but ditching Alice was hard. Even now as I sat with Esme and Alice, Edward kept glancing at me, causing my attention to waver to him and my heart to beat erratically.

"Bella, stop staring at my brother for a second for God's sake. He's not going anywhere, but my wedding is in a week," Alice snapped at me, causing me to break my gaze with Edward. I had a few words on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed them. She knew that Edward and my relationship was still new and we were trying to find a rhythem. I actually expected her to be more understanding, but I guess her hormones were controlling her mind.

"What, Alice?" I sighed, as Esme patted my knee under the table.

"I asked you about the cake-"

"Excuse me." Edward's voice interrupted Alice, and she gave him a mean glare.

"What, Edward? We're busy here. Go and continue to cook."

"Alice, enough!" Edward groaned. "You're making everyone work like your slaves, but I need a moment with my girlfriend." The way he said "my girlfriend" made me tingle all over, and I tried to hide my smile.

"You have her all the time. I need her right now. I have-"

"You have a wedding in a week. I know that Alice, and I think even the animals in the forest know that because of the amont of time you've screamed this out. Just take a deep breath and think about your family, and be grateful." Edward said, his voice calm, but I knew that was it for Alice.

She was suddenly on her feet and screaming. "Do you know how hard it is to plan a wedding with a baby on the way? How could you know? Some people just can't run away from their responsibilities."

Edward's face paled as Esme gasped loudly. Alice grasped the table and her mouth dropped open as the meaning of her words dawned on her.

"Edward," she muttered in a faint voice as Edward stormed into the house, crashing into a chair on his way.

"Thank you, Alice." I found myself saying. I was really pissed off that she said that to Edward. Yes, he hadn't been my most favorite person long ago, but he was trying really hard with Amie and me. "Do you know the heartache we had to endure for years? Do you know how sensitive he is about this? You know how hard it is for me and Edward? Do you know how hard we've tried to erase the past and create a future for ourselves? Did you really have to say that?" I couldn't control myself, and ended up screaming. I ran into the house ignoring Alice's wails and Esme's angry voice.

Edward was sitting on a couch with his head between his hands as he muttered something.

"Edward," I said gently as I sat down next to him and he turned to look at me.

"I'm sorry," he said, crushing me into a hug and letting out a sigh.

"Why?"

"I… we didn't do it this way… because of me. You never planned your wedding, and you never got to do stuff like this. I… she's right," he said, breaking our hug and looking at me with misty eyes.

"She's not right. She's just rude," I answered furiously. I knew that he would put the blame on himself without question.

"Just because she's rude it doesn't mean she's wrong," he mumbled and I sighed, thinking that I couldn't slap my pregnant friend.

"Edward, she had no right to say any of that, okay? I'm trying to get over the past. We're trying to get over the past, and we're doing good. So, don't let her make you feel guilty or anything. Please," I begged. Literally begged. I knew Edward was still dealing with his guilt, and he didn't need anyone to remind him. At times, I caught him staring at Amie with such a heartbreaking expression that it was enough for me to understand that the guilt he felt hadn't lessened, and never would.

"I couldn't get to talk to you like this all week," he said, groaning, and I wanted to go and slap Alice. I saw Edward everyday in the past week. From afar. Alice didn't let her slaves socialize. I talked to him on the phone most nights, but it was not enough.

"Let's tell your slave driving boss that you're taking the day off," Jasper sounded, coming inside with Alice by his side, still crying really hard.

"I'm sorry, Edward. I'm the most horrible sister ever. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it, the words just came out like that," she cried, practically climbing onto Edward's lap.

"It's okay, Alice. I'm good." I knew he wasn't, but I didn't intervene.

"You're a great father, and Amie loves you so much. And I'm so happy that you're with Bella again," she muttered, sniffing and holding Edward's head in the crook of her neck. "Forgive me, please."

Edward raised his head to look at Alice, and he was close to crying himself. "It hurt a little, but I know you mean no harm."

"I'm sorry. Bella, I'm really sorry," Alice turned to me, and I gave her a smile which I hoped was satisfying. I really didn't want to talk about this with her now. I was already emotionally tired.

"Esme says she's going to watch Amie for today, and you two should go out and have fun. I 'm so sorry for keeping you away from each other," Alice said, sounding really guilty and wiping her tears.

"Where is she?" I asked, feeling a surge of panic rise in my chest.

"She's with Emmett. She seemed shocked as Edward ran inside. Emmett grabbed her, telling her that Edward was upset because Alice wouldn't let him swim with Bella. She believed it. He made it up on that spot. He was amazing,"Jasper said in awe as Edward let out a loud laugh which resembled a cry at the same time.

"Yeah, he's amazing like that," he said to Jasper, sarcasm evident in his voice.

After seeing Amie and being sure that she was okay with staying with Esme, we found ourselves sitting in Edward's car in silence. Now that we had the freedom we desired, we couldn't think of a way to spend the day.

"So, what do you want to do?" he asked, turning to me and suddenly the little space in the car was too much to handle. I just wanted to reach out and touch him. I started to chant a song in my head as Edward continued to wait for an answer.

"Umm… I don't know." I managed to mutter after he called my name a second time.

"Maybe we can watch a movie," he suggested, seeing that I was in no mood to suggest anything, and I said yes.

All through our way to the supermarket, that song was in my mind, and I didn't even like the song. But the message it was conveying was so simililar to what I was feeling right now. _Reach out and touch me before I go insane. _Rose said she hated that song, but there wasn't a day she didn't play it.

Ahh. Rose… She was still seeing Emmett, much to my surprise. She usually dumped her boyfriends pretty quickly, and I now understood the reason she hadn't told me about Emmett in the first place was because of this. I was really happy for them, and considering the time Rose spent talking about Emmett, she was happy too.

I was just a little shocked that they jumped into bed so quickly, but at the same time it wasn't so surprising. Rosalie was the female version of Emmett. What ticked me off was my lack of physical activity with Edward. Okay, I was the one who wanted to take things slowly, but it was starting to get on my nerves. Between Alice's hormonal breakdowns, and Edward's hectic work hours, we barely got time to spend together, not to mention the time to do stuff. Stuff like kissing, making out and so on…

Edward grabbed my hand while we strolled in the supermarket. It was not hard to see that nearly everyone was staring at us. Everyone in town now knew that Amie was Edward's daughter and about our sudden breakup. I was sure that they would talk about this supermarket trip for days.

"How about this?" Edward said, showing me a cheesy romantic movie that caused me to roll my eyes.

"I've seen it. It's boring," I deadpanned as Edward laughed, tickling my side. Feeling his hands, I was suddenly not really interested in any movie.

"Let's watch this," I said, grabbing a DVD case without even looking. It was not like we would watch it anyway. I was adamant about going back to the high school years, making out instead of watching the movie.

"I heard it's good. Good choice even if you haven't even seen the title," Edward joked, showing me the title. _The Fountain. _

Two hours later, I was bawling my eyes out as Edward rubbed my arm, trying hard not to laugh. How the hell did I manage to find a movie like that without even looking at the title was beyond me, but all my dreams about making out were long gone.

"It's an amazing movie." I sighed as Edward chuckled. "How come you didn't cry?"

"I watched you more than the movie." His words made me smile through my tears and I found myself scooting towards him, which was impossible considering that I was nearly sitting on his lap.

"Is that so? I didn't realize," I said, kissing his lips and combing his hair with my hands.

"You were too busy looking at Hugh Jackman," he mumbled in between kisses as I fidgeted on his lap to become more comfortable.

"I'm gross right now," I said and stopped kissing him, thinking that my swollen eyes and red nose were a turn off for him.

He grabbed my hips and pulled me to him, causing me to feel him on my thigh. Both of our eyes widened as Edward let out an agonized sigh. "I'm sorry. I just… you're not gross. You probably want to stop now," he said, loosening his hold on me. He couldn't be more wrong. I was burning inside, and I didn't want to let go of him this time.

"I don't want to," I replied, resuming kissing him, and he was kissing me back with vigor within seconds.

Our hands were everywhere as loud gasps sounded in Edward's living room. He was even harder under me, and instead of feeling scared that it was too soon, I only wanted to be with him. His hands found my back inside of my shirt as he gave me a questioning look.

"That's okay," I mumbled, already dizzy from the feeling of his hands on my bare flesh.

A few minutes later, my shirt was discarded on the floor, and it was embarrassing that it was me who threw it in lust. I just couldn't help myself. My body was yearning for him, and I had no plans to stop right now. I was fed up with restraining myself. I just wanted to go with my gut just this one time.

"Bella, you're… what? We should stop," Edward moaned as I rubbed myself against him.

"I don't want to stop," I breathed, as Edward let out a groan.

"I just don't want you to regret it."

"I'm not going to. I want it. Don't you?" I knew I was playing dirty right now, but I needed him to just cave already. I couldn't believe I was practically begging him for sex, but I just wanted to leave everything behind and be with him. I also knew that he was still under the influence of Alice's words, and he didn't see himself worthy of me. But he should have known that despite everything he was the one for me, as I was the one for him.

"I want to. I just wanted to make sure you want it. I thought you wanted to wait, take it slow," he said, his lustful voice making me smile.

"We took it slow. It's been more than a month since we went on a date," I said, and he chuckled. "I need you."

Edward's groan was loud as he scooped me in his arms. "You can't say stuff like that," he mumbled and his lips were suddenly on my neck in the dark hallway of his apartment.

He stumbled as he tried to go to his bedroom, and I giggled. "Don't drop me."

"Never."

His bedroom was dim, the only light being the street lamp outside. He gently put me on his bed and turned on his bedsight lamp. The light was harsh, and suddenly what I was about to do dawned on me. He was going to see me naked. We would be both naked and having sex, and the thought was horrifying, to be honest. My fear must have been obvious from the look on my face because Edward sat next to me, grabbed my hand and said, "We really don't have to, Bella. We can wait."

Again that word. I didn't want to_ wait_ to live my life. I felt ready and I wouldn't let fear rule my life. "We're not waiting to live anymore," I said, crushing my lips to his and feeling amazing once again. It never once failed to be amazing when I was with him like this.

I didn't know how much time had passed, but it was like a second later that clothes were thrown on the floor and then were kissing passionately. Edward's hand skimmed my breasts as he gave me a lustful look that was too much for me to handle.

"You ready?" he asked, looking into my eyes with such passion that I could feel my heart swell in my chest.

"Yeah. Just… don't forget the protection." As much as I loved him, I knew we were not ready to have a baby yet.

We were a tangled mess of love as we moved together, kissing every inch we could and whispering words of love. Being with him like this made me feel even more sure that I was doing the right thing by forgiving and letting him in. There would be nobody like him and there was no way I could feel like this with anyone other than Edward.

Some may call me stupid that I forgave him and gave him a chance after he had left me like that, and some may call me pathetic. Of course, there were so many things I wish didn't happen, and there were so many things I wish had happened. However, I wouldn't change this moment for anything. Feeling his body next to mine and feeling his heart beat as if it was my own, and feeling his love for me was all I needed.

We were good.

I knew everything would be great.

* * *

Soo, you've just read the lamest lemon ever:) What do you think? I didn't want to write a graphic lemon scene for this story. It didn't seem fitting to me. (I'm sorry if I'm not making sense. I have a horrible toothache now. It's killing me!)

I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed last chapter. I also want to thank my beta, **adt216**.

I know I said two chapters, but this is the last regular chapter of Amie. There is an epilogue coming soon, and then it will be over. I have two story ideas in my mind now, and I've started writing one of them.

Anyway, that's all for now.

Thank you for reading and have an awesome day!

E.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

**EPOV**

I couldn't sleep. I had tried to fall asleep, but my eyes were on Bella's sleeping form. This was an enough distraction from sleeping. My mind was lurking somewhere between consciousness and sleep. Well, I was dazed… I was dazed by her beauty and the way she slept. I had always been a fool for her, but now that she graciously let me in again, there was nothing I wouldn't do for her.

Watching her sleeping in my bed brought out my worst memories along with best. Both kinds revolved around her. My best memories were best because of her and the worst ones were the results of her absence from my life.

I couldn't really grasp what the hell I was thinking when I had left Bella. I would never understand either. I had had some so called reasons then, but how I managed to leave her was beyond me now. I couldn't even imagine spending my life apart from her and Amie, considering the last few years had been hell for me thinking that I had lost Bella forever and caused her to kill our baby. Now that I had them both back, I cherished that. I was not going to make the same mistakes again, that was for sure.

"Amie, don't."

It made me smile to hear that Bella still talked in her sleep. I forced my nearly closed eyes to stay open as I gazed at her naked form and sighed. God, that was such a miracle. I had to be the luckiest man in the whole world. When Alice gave us _permisson_ to leave, this was not what I had in mind. I wanted to be with her of course, but what I didn't know was that she wanted me as much as I wanted her. Also, it was a relief to see that nothing changed between us in that matter. It still felt the same and I was sure I wouldn't want to stop feeling that again and again.

That bliss brought back the fear of losing it again. I had loved her since forever, but I still had managed to screw up everything at one point. How would I know what I had done years ago wouldn't come back and bite me in the ass. Fear was eating me alive. Amie wouldn't stay as naive as she was now. Sooner or later, she would grow up and ask me where the hell I was when she was a baby. I was pretty sure that she would hate me when I would tell her I had been the biggest coward. Yes, I would tell her the truth. I didn't know any other way. Lying her was not an option.

God, I just didn't want her to grow up…

The loud beeping of my phone sobered me up as Bella turned and threw her leg over mine. Ignoring my instincts shouting at me to wake her up and be with her once again, I reached for my phone. The screen was flashing with Alice's name, and it couldn't be good since it was three in the morning. Sighing, I answered the call while checking to see if Bella was still sleeping. Thank God, she was. She was tired as a result of Alice's tyranny and, well, because of me. Trying to supress the grin on my face, I whispered into the phone.

"What, Alice? Did Jasper finally run for his life?" I joked, trying to get a rise out of her. I loved my sister dearly, and I knew that what she had said today was completely true. I couldn't help being hurt though. I already knew that I didn't deserve Bella, but hearing it out loud was a stab to gut.

"Funny, brother, real funny. Jasper is sound asleep in the guest bedroom for your information. It's your little princess, Amie," she said, sarcasm evident in her voice as my grin vanished from my face. What the hell?

"What's wrong? Is she okay? Does she have a fever again? I'm coming to get her in five minutes," I said, stumbling out of bed to find my boxers.

"Gosh, chill. She's okay if you ask me. She's just putting on a show," Alice answered as I heard Amie's loud wailing.

"Put her on the phone, please," I barked at Alice, totally ignoring what she was saying. I knew that wail. Amie was in pain, and it caused me pain.

"God, no wonder where she got that habit of hers. You're both drama queens," Alice shrieked and there was a silence as Amie got the phone.

"Amie, are you there?"

"Yes," she sniffed and I suddenly felt really guilty. I just left her there and didn't even call after we came back to my apartment. Well, we were busy, but still.

"What happened, sweetie?" I asked, fearing the worst.

"I almost fell down. Emmett caught me. He bumped his head," she sobbed as I breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't that bad. I mean, Emmett had a thick head. God, I was not making sense. But my mind had been coming up with worse things. Maybe, Alice was right about us being drama queens. Suddenly, I realised that it was three in the morning and Amie was awake. What a father…

"I'm sorry, honey. But, what are you doing awake at this hour? You should be in bed, not awake and crying."

There was another silence and Alice was speaking again.

"Hey, Edward. It's nothing serious and Dad took care of it, but she doesn't stop whining. Maybe, you should just pick your child up so that we can sleep."

"Is she really okay? She sounded like she was hurt as well," I questioned as I threw on my clothes hastily.

"God! She was fooling around with Emmett and they both fell down. Emmett shielded her and bumped his head, but it's Amie who is wailing and wanting her daddy. Get your ass here and pick her up. I want to sleep, and I can't do that while she's whining about wanting her daddy dearest!"

"Okay, I coming in ten," I mumbled as she hang up the phone.

Sighing and chuckling to myself, I grabbed my jeans from the floor. I must have made some kind of noise because Bella suddenly opened her eyes and stretched, exposing her breasts. I suddenly wanted to call Alice and tell her to suck it up and deal with her niece.

Bella noticed where my gaze was fixed and she quickly covered herself. "Where are you going?" she asked, tucking her hair behind her messed up hair.

"Alice called. Amie and Emmett caused a little bit of chaos. It's nothing serious though," I said, sitting down on the bed and scooting towards her. If only she had seen me panicking a few minutes ago.

"Should I come, too?" she asked, her eyes wide with worry.

"No, I'm just going to pick her up and we'll come here," I said, leaning in for a kiss. It wouldn't hurt Alice to deal with Amie a little longer.

"Is she really okay?" she mumbled as I touched her lips with mine.

"Yeah." I could only manage to say and then we were kissing.

The more my sensible side tried to make me stop, but I found myself kissing harder. Bella laid back on bed, bringing me with her and all I could feel was how good it felt and how I wanted her.

"Are you feeling okay? Is this okay?" I asked as my hand crept to her leg and then inside her thigh, and she giggled.

"We've already done much more. It's okay."

"Good," I moaned as her hand started to wander as well.

Just as I was lowering the sheet that covered her, my phone let out an annoying beep, bringing me out of my Bella daze. I totally forgot about Amie.

"Shit, she must be still fussing," I groaned as Bella reached out for my phone.

"It's just a text," she said and gave me my phone. It was from Alice.

_You don't need to come anymore. She fell asleep, hugging Emmett. She's as dramatic as you. Goodnight._

"What's the smirk for?" Bella asked, holding out her hand.

I gave her my phone and couldn't keep my grin off my face as she read it.

"As much as I love Amie, I'm really glad that she fell asleep," I mumbled, stroking her bare arm as she put my phone on the nightstand.

She let out another captivating giggle and I had no other choice than to pounce on her. Literally. My hands crept to the sheet once again, and this time it was gone. I felt my mouth drop open once again at the beauty of her. Her body was a lot different now, but she was still breathtaking. Noticing my lingering gaze, Bella sighed shakily and turned her head to stare at the curtains.

"You're gorgeous," I said and watched as a smile crept up her face. "Seriously."

"I love you," she whispered, turning to look at me. She looked so beautiful and so innocent that I had to thank God that she was still mine.

"I love you," I whispered back and she wrapped her arms around me, smiling.

I didn't know how many times Peter had tried to convince me to meet one of Charlotte's friends when I was in college. I had always said no. I had had women asking me out, beautiful women, but I hadn't had the urge to go out with them. I had known nothing would be like being with Bella. Nothing would beat it. I had been right with that. I was right.

"Why are you staring?" she asked, trying to hide her face. It was funny she was still shy, so I couldn't contain my laughter.

"Don't laugh at me, or I will put my clothes on," she threatened and tried to wiggle out of my arms.

"No way," I warned and started to kiss her neck. She immediately stopped moving and her hands went on my ass, causing me to chuckle a little more. She was so hard to figure. One minute she was shy, and then the other she was grabbing me.

"Don't laugh," she moaned as I continued to kiss her, closer to her breasts. There was nothing to laugh about her breasts and soon I was captivated by them, no longer finding her contradictory actions funny.

"They got bigger after I had Amie," she gasped as I kissed them. I raised my head to look at her and she smiled sheepishly. "Okay, I'm just talking nonsense."

"If they will get bigger after another baby, I'm all in for the brother Amie wants," I joked and her pretty eyes got wider.

"No, not yet. I want to be at least married this time," she said and sucked in a deep breath. "Not that I'm pressuring you or anything."

"Don't be silly," I scolded her lightly as I started stroking her in between her legs. "I want to get married to you more than anything."

"Oh, okay then," she moaned loudly and took a deep breath. Smiling to myself, I continued to kiss and stroke her. She let out a loose breath and pulled my neck forcefully to her to kiss me.

"You're torturing me. Just go on with it," she mumbled against my lips, her eyes frantic. I was more than ready at this point. So I did as she asked me to.

This time was a lot better than the first time. I was not afraid that she would run anymore, and knew that she wanted it as much as I wanted. She was more enthusiastic and less shy. Her hands and lips were on me as I fought against losing it and ending it too soon. Before long she was thrashing on the bed, moaning and letting out little cries which made it impossible for me not to lose. And losing it was fucking amazing.

"That was nice," Bella said as we were lying in the bed afterwards.

"Nice? It was fucking amazing," I said, looking at her face and stroking her hot cheek. "And it's even more amazing that you go from moaning to being shy in five minutes," I teased, kissing her burning cheek.

"Shut up. It was the heat of the moment," she shrieked and giggled as I tickled her.

"And the most amazing thing is being here with you, holding you," I said, holding her closer and marvelling at her beauty.

"Such a sap," she joked, but it was evident in her teary eyes that she felt the same. It was the thing that was important in the end.

Next morning, we both woke up, looking like hell, and then we took a shower together. After having breakfast together, we went to pick up our Amie. We, together, both of us. God, it was amazing to have her by my side in the mornings. I was surely asking her to marry me after Alice's wedding. I was not going to wait.

Emmett was the one who opened the door to us, and he cracked the biggest grin when he saw us.

"Someone went swimming yesterday," he sang as Bella looked at me curiously.

"It's nothing honey," I said, glaring at Emmett, and Bella shrugged.

"I'm going to go and find Amie," she said and went towards the garden where Amie's shrieks were coming from.

"So?" Emmett asked, and I sighed in irritation.

"Yes, okay? Yes," I mumbled, not keeping my grin off my face as he snickered.

"About time," he said and turned to go the garden, ushering me to go as well. But my eyes were caught on the nasty bump on the back of his head.

"Emmett, you okay? What happened with Amie?"

"Oh, I'm good. We were just playing hide and seek and her foot got caught in the carpet. I caught her before she fell," he said, giving me a sincere smile and walking to the garden.

"Thank you, man."

Dad and Jasper were grilling again as Mom and Alice were talking over some magazines. My eyes found Amie and Bella sitting and talking quietly and Amie's eyes found mine instantly.

"Daddy, I missed you!" she screamed and jumped towards me. "I was telling Momma that you shouldn't leave me and go anywhere again.I love gramps and Emmett, but I missed you. Promise?" she asked innocently, not knowing the effect of her words on me.

"I will never leave you again, sweetheart," I said and added. "As long as you won't leave me."

"No, Daddy, never."

* * *

Hi!

I know it's been so long. I have really important exams in April and May so I'm trying to study.

This chapter was supposed to be the epilogue, but I found myself writing the ending from EPOV. I hope you like this short chapter. Epilogue will be up in two or three weeks.

I tried to write another lemon. I have a story in mind which has a few lemons. But if you think I'm terrible at writing lemons, I won't even start that story:) So, please tell me what you think.

Last but not least, I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed my story, and my beta **adt216.**

Have a great day!


	30. Chapter 30

Epilogue

BPOV

_**Baby**_

I plopped myself down on our new bed as my chest heaved with sobs. I knew crying was an unreasonable thing to do, but I just couldn't help my tears. I felt like I was suffocated and there was no air to breathe. _Everything is going to be awful. I am going to be lonely again, _I kept chanting inside. Somewhere inside I knew this was not true, but I was nowhere near being reasonable.

The doorknob turned and I hastily hid the stick with the mocking smiley face behind me. I just didn't feel like telling anybody now, especially Edward. The door opened, and Alice, Esme and Rosalie sauntered into the room, all of them staring at me with wide eyes.

"Why the hell are you crying this time? " Alice asked, sitting down and clutching her huge stomach. She was seven months pregnant with a baby girl, and she and Jasper were over the moon with happiness.

"It's nothing," I mumbled, sniffing and grabbing the pregnancy test tightly in my palm. I was not going to tell anyone. I knew I was driving them crazy with the amount of time I had spent crying in the last week, but I was not ready to tell.

"It's not nothing, Bella. You've been crying and moping for a week. We understand you're nervous about the wedding and all, but come on," Rose whined, sitting on my other side. I saw her look at my fisted hand and I moved it away.

"I'm just nervous."

"Well, Edward is freaking out, thinking that you're having second thoughts about getting married to him," Esme said sweetly as my tears started to fall. Between wedding preparations and my pregnancy scare, I wasn't able to spend time with him. There was a possibilty that he was going to hate me and cancel our wedding himself before I could blurt out the news.

"I… he…" I muttered and let out an ugly sob.

Yes, I was pregnant. I had a suspicion that I could be pregnant for a week, and I learned fifteen minutes ago that I indeed was. The test that I was gripping inside my hand was the proof. We were getting married tomorrow. Tomorrow, I would be Mrs. Cullen.

The week, which was supposed to be the happiest of my life, turned out to be the worst one. I tried to act normal around Edward, but I couldn't when I was freaking out inside. The practical part of me knew it was good news, and there was nothing to worry about. However, I couldn't think reasonably. My emotions were all over the place, and I panicked, foolishly thinking that Edward would freak out after learning that another unplanned baby was coming.

Hence I was so indecisive and scared. A part of me screamed at me to run and tell Edward straight away while the scared part of me begged me to wait until after the wedding so that he couldn't leave me again. Surely, he wouldn't leave his wife. God, what the hell I was thinking?

"Sshh," Rose cooed as she hugged me tightly. She started to rub my arms, and she swiftly pulled the pregnancy test out off my palm. I let out another sob as her eyes widened.

"God, Bella, shh, it's is amazing. Why the hell are you crying?"she shrieked as she gave the test to Esme. Soon after, Esme was shrieking as well and jumping up and down. Why couldn't I be that joyous? Well, because I was deathly scared that Edward was going to leave me and Amie again. And another baby was in the picture this time. A baby.

"Oh my God," Alice gasped when Esme showed her the stick, and she turned to look at me with a huge grin. "Why the tears, Bella? It's really wonderful. Edward won't know what to do!"

"I… I'm scared," I managed to say in between my sobs as Esme pulled a bottle of water from her bag and handed it to me.

Taking big gulps of water, I tried to calm down, but it was in vain. My tears weren't about to stop anytime soon. I really didn't know what to do, how to act, what to say. It was like the past few months that he spent earning my trust didn't happen. I suddenly felt like the day when I woke up in my bed alone and found his note and the money he gave me for an abortion. Abondoned. Alone. Scared.

"I'm so scared. I don't want to lose Edward," I mumbled, feeling the pain crush my chest. If he left me again or didn't want the baby, there was no way I could go on living this time. I was so used to him at this point. We were back to what we used to be. I didn't want to lose him.

"Honey, why would you lose him?" Rose cooed, wiping my tears and taking the bottle from my shaky hands. Since not telling anyone was an option anymore, I decided to tell my fears to them. Maybe they would knock some sense into me. Maybe they would tell me what to do. Maybe they would tell Edward not to leave me. God, I really should stop thinking that he was going to leave me.

"I don't know how to tell Edward. We were going to wait a few years after our wedding to get pregnant. What if he doesn't… what if he… a baby is not in our plans," I whispered, feeling desperate at the thought of him leaving me and horrible that I thought such things about him and our baby.

"Bella," Esme gasped, sounding a tad offended. "Edward learned his lesson, darling. He won't do anything like that again. He is going to be so happy that you're giving him another baby."

"Honey, he is going to be by your side this time. You know that, right? You have nothing to be afraid of," Alice said as Rose hummed alongside her.

Deep down I knew all of the things they said were true. Edward loved me and Amie, and I was sure that he would love our baby. It was just I had a feeling inside that everything would slip out of my hands again when I was this happy. It had been like this last time. I had been deliriously happy and then he was gone. He didn't want Amie, and he didn't want me. I was about to start sobbing again when Rose showed me the heart shaped collage on the wall.

"Remember how he proposed you," she whispered into my ear and an involuntary smile formed on my face.

It was two weeks after Alice's wedding . Edward came to Dad's house for breakfast. Even my dad ate with us and he seemed to not hate Edward that much on that particular morning. After breakfast Edward told me had something to show me. Leaving Amie with my dad wasn't an easy task, but we managed and soon after I found myself in front of a cream colored, two story house. He said it was ours. I screamed in joy and kissed him until we were breathless. I was a little wary of accepting expensive things from him, but when he said our house, there was no way I could be angry. It was everything that I had dreamed off and more. It was a five bedroom house and Edward claimed that we were going to fill every bedroom with our children. He just didn't know the second one would come this soon.

Anyway, I had the biggest shock of my life when I entered the empty master bedroom that day. There were candles everywhere and there was a heart shaped collage of our pictures on one of the walls. Dazzled by the beauty of his surprise, I got lost in looking at every picture and didn't realise that he was on one knee until after he nervously cleared his throat.

He blinked up to me and and gulped before clearing his throat again. "I love you, Bella." He let out a breath and continued, "I had a speech and all, but I'm kind of nervous as you see. I… I'm the biggest asshole ever, and you're the most amazing thing. By some miracle, you forgave me, for which I will be thankful until the day I die. Would it be too much if I asked you to marry me? Will you marry me?" He let out in one breath while looking into my eyes.

Saying yes to him was the most beautiful moment of my life. Seeing the happiness on his face and feeling it inside me was the most amazing feeling. Now sitting in the same room he proposed to me, I was crying, because I was still kind of expecting him to leave me. I was being stupid, awful. He wouldn't leave me. He just wouldn't. I was being stupid. Hormones must be already affecting me.

"It was a beautiful proposal," I mumbled as Rose gave me an encouraging smile. "He's not going to leave me," I said to myself more than Rose.

"Of course, he's not," Alice scoffed, standing up. "Don't you see the guy. He's utterly in love with you. Just tell him already. He's moping around saying that you're going to cancel the wedding. Make the poor guy's day."

"You banned me from seeing him," I said to her as Esme giggled and Rose rolled her eyes.

"Yes, you're getting married tomorrow and we were supposed to have a girls' night without men. But I have a feeling that this is more important than having a girls' night."

"Thank you, girls," I mumbled, suddenly feeling ashamed that I made such a fuss. I knew the guy. I was marrying the guy. He was going to be so happy with the news.

"Ok, I'm sending him up, and I want no more drama. Elle Maria gets upset," she said, rubbing her stomach.

They left the room and not two minutes later Edward appeared. I started to panic a little when I saw him, but I tried to keep it down. _He's going to be happy._

He gave me a shaky smile and sat down next to me. "Bella, did I do something wrong?" he asked in such a tone that I wanted to cry more. I upset him too much this week. I didn't even want to think how he was torturing himself thinking that he upset me.

"No, you did nothing wrong," I said, stroking his arm and his sad eyes found mine.

"Then, why? You're avoiding me. You're always crying. You don't even let me kiss you properly. You're just distant and it's killing me. I don't want to lose you."

"Edward, I'm sorry for acting like a bitch." I grabbed his hand and took a deep breath. I needed to do that. "It's just hormones and this," I said, grabbing the test stick and shoving it into his hand.

His eyes comically widened as he looked at the test and then me and then again the test. He stayed silent for a few seconds, looking at it as my heart beat furiously against my chest. He then slowly raised his head, and his face took my breath away. He looked so awed, so blissful, so happy. An impossibly large smile appeared on his face as a tear fell down his cheek.

"I… Thank you, Bella," he tackled me and started kissing me with wild abandon. "Thank you, thank you," he kept murmuring in between kisses, as his tears mixed with mine.

A few minutes later he was a little bit calmer, but still holding me for dear life as we lied on the bed. "You don't know what this means to me. I don't have the words to explain. It's just so amazing. I don't deserve you," he said, looking at me with teary eyes.

"Stop it." I smiled. I hated that he still thought himself unworthy. I also hated myself for expecting the worst from him. He would be so heartbroken if he knew the things I had thought just five minutes ago. "We deserve each other."

He let out a chuckle as he put his hand on my flat belly. "No, you're much better than me." His smile vanished suddenly and he was frowning.

"What is it?" I asked as the fear reared its ugly head again. I was an idiot for feeling like that after seeing how happy he was.

"You were scared of what I would say, weren't you? You knew it for a week, but you couldn't tell me," he whispered, pain laced in his voice. "I'll never forgive myself for making you feel like this."

"Edward, please," I said as he kissed my head. "I know you love me and won't leave me. I know you'll be with me and our babies this time."

He nodded and gave me a bright smile. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I said happily. "I found out today by the way. I haven't been carrying this pee stick with me for a week," I added, mock gagging.

"I may or may not be thinking of keeping that stick. I love that smiley face."

"Ewww, Edward. I peed on it."

He chuckled as he rolled us on the bed and started kissing me. "I can't wait to tell Amie."

Upon hearing the news, Amie went crazy. She kept kissing me and her father for making the brother she wanted. I had half a mind to tell her that there was a possibility that the baby could be a girl, but I knew better. I didn't want to spoil her fun.

Our wedding was a quiet affair upon my request. I only wanted to share it with our family and close friends even though it was the main talk of Forks. The ceremony and after party took place in our new house that Edward bought for us. What I felt as we said our vows and became husband and wife was hard to desrible. That moment was more than anything I could have ever dreamed and believe me I had dreamed about it a lot.

We were finally married.

My pregnancy this time was a lot easier. Maybe it was because I had Edward with me all the time. He was the most attentive father to be, spoiling me every chance and putting up with my crap when I got too whiny. And I got whiny a lot.

Edward, my sweet husband, never once complained. He spoiled me to no end, doing whatever I asked the moment I asked. Having missed the experience the first time, Edward went crazy with everything, and I mean, everything. He got a family friendly car just two days after our wedding, and car seats. The next day he came home with a bunch of baby books and magazines. I couldn't even begin to talk about the clothes he bought, and what was worse, he got Amie involved in his work. They were thick as thieves, and in two months, we had a room full of baby stuff. Morever our baby had his room furnished two days after we learned the gender.

Of course we had our ups and downs. I was extra sensitive, and I swear some days I just sought out reasons to be mean. The slightest thing could make me cry or send me over the clouds in happiness. I wouldn't forget one particular day when he had to work late. He told me he was going to work extra hours in the morning, but he forgot to mention how long it would be. When he wasn't at home by midnight, the floodgates opened. If anyone saw me that night, they would think someone close to me had died, considering how much I cried. The moment I heard Edward's keys jiggling, I was on my feet, running to him, screaming. I slapped him across the face, told him he could leave if he wanted to, and he didn't need to stay at work that long just to avoid his pregnant and fat wife. Edward was shocked to say the least. After working his ass off for 24 hours at the clinic, coming home only to find out that your wife was going nuts must not have been a pleasant experience. Bless him, he just held me as I cried and helped me to calm down. When I was soothed enough, he softly and politely told me that my lack of trust in him hurt, and that sentence meant another crying fest on my part. It seemed like I couldn't apologize enough, but he let it slide so easily. After a few hours of snuggling and sleeping, we were back to normal. The only signs of the fight were my puffy eyes and the shame I felt.

Being pregnant the second time was quite a pleasant experience once we passed my raging hormones and crying fits. Everynight, without exception, Edward helped Amie into her pajamas and then they came into our bedroom to read Amie's bedtime story so that the baby could hear it too. The first night they did it, I actually cried. Thank God, Amie was already asleep and didn't see since she had a tendency to cry with me.

With each passing month our excitement grew. In my ninth month, Amie actually started to beg her brother to come out already, and it was a cute sight to see. It was one of that nights that we were in our bed, listening to Edward read a bedtime story when our baby decided to come.

The sight of Edward holding our son for the first time was wonderful. He looked like he had all the things in the world he wanted, so content, so happy. He couldn't take his eyes off our baby for a few minutes, but then he looked at me with misty eyes and I saw everthing in them. His love, his devotion, our future.

"I love you," he whispered and I mouthed the words back to him. I knew he finally felt complete and somewhat less guilty.

Amie was awed by the tinyness of her brother. It took Edward good ten minutes to talk Amie into approaching the baby. I didn't know where that sudden shyness came from. She acted like he was a complete stranger until her resolve crumbled with Edward's gentle urging. She slowly approached the baby and put her pinky to his chubby little cheek as he opened his mouth slightly.

"Look, baby, your brother is trying to say he loves you," Edward said and Amie gasped in disbelief.

"Really? I love him, too. So much."

Three days later, we were again in our home, and this time Cory Brandon Cullen was lying between us, listening to his father read his bedtime story.

_**Cory's First Birthday**_

"Happy birthday, Cory! Happy birthday, Cory!" Amie shrieked, jumping up and down as Cory clapped his chubby hands along with her. The sight made me laugh and my laughter caused them to notice my presence.

"Mommy, he looks bigger this morning," Amie said, grabbing Cory's hand to help him stand up in his crib.

"Yes, he is one year old, baby." I smiled as I took Cory out of his crib. He pulled my hair gently as his stomach grumbled, throwing Amie into a fit of giggles.

"I'm going to prepare his breakfast," she declared as she stomped down the stairs. By preparing breakfast, she actually meant mashing fruit and making a mess in the kitchen. I sighed as Cory pulled my hair again, smiling and showing his three little teeth.

He was the most adorable baby boy I had ever seen, and I was not saying this because he was mine. I was saying this because he was the carbon copy of his daddy, which made Edward quite proud. It was quite silly, but I didn't spoil his fun. Cory was a heartbreaker with bronze hair and big green eyes and chubby little legs. As I said he was adorable.

Today was his first birthday and all of our family were coming to our house for a party. It was going to be huge, because it was planned by his Aunt Alice and his daddy. Balancing Cory on my hip, I went downstairs to see what Amie was up to.

"Amie, please don't make a mess. Auntie Alice is going to be here any minute," I warned her as she happily mashed a peach, Cory's favorite.

"I'm going to clean up, Momma."

And by cleaning up, she meant making even more of a mess. Since it was a special day, I decided to keep my mouth shut. The doorbell rang as I put Cory in his highchair, indicating that Alice was here with her daughter.

Elle Maria was a perfect mix of Alice and Jasper with her blonde hair and blue eyes, but the way she behaved was just like Alice. She was a little fashion diva with a cute snobbish attitude just in the seventeen months old version. We weren't able to see her as much as we would like since they now had to live in Port Angeles because of Jasper's work, and everytime we saw her she acted even more like Alice.

Alice pushed Elle into my arms the moment I opened the door. "She ruined her shoes," she cried and stomped into the house.

Looking down and seeing Elle's muddy sneakers, I let out a guffaw, much to Alice's dismay. "Come on, Alice."

"I told her not to run. I told her to wait for Mommy to get her, but no she had to jump into the mud," she muttered as Elle giggled along with me. She didn't look sorry that her pink sneakers got muddy.

"How are you, baby?" I asked, kissing her cheek.

Never being the shy one, Elle started to tell me her day to me as we went to the kitchen. Another trait she got from Alice was that once she learned to talk, she never, never stopped.

After cleaning up the epic mess in the kitchen, we put a play mat on the floor for Cory and Elle, and started the preparations. Edward insisted that we buy the cake from a bakery, but I wanted to bake Cory's first cake myself. Having Alice to help me also made things easier for me. We cooked and baked in silence most of the day, only having the chance to really speak as we decorated the cake.

"How's my brother?" Alice asked as she stirred the chocolate.

"He's good." I smiled as I remembered this morning. He had to go to work at the crack of the dawn, looking really reluctant to leave me alone with all the stuff waiting to be done for Cory's birthday. I loved that he was so thoughtful. "He's working hard."

"I swear Dad is making him work even harder because he's his son." Alice giggled. "How's Emmett and Rose? I called Rose yesterday, but she didn't answer."

Inheriting a good amount of money after her grandfather died, Rose made a life changing decision. She quit her work and moved to Forks to be with Emmett. It seemed a bit rushed first, but everyone could see that they wanted to be with each other more than they wanted anything else. They bought a small apartment for themselves using Emmett's saving and the money Rose inherited, and Rose opened a beauty salon with the rest of her money. Honestly, it was a suitable job for her.

"She's still busy with the salon. They're going to be here today."

"Emmett hasn't proposed, has he?" Alice asked, snorting. Emmett wanted to ask Rose to marry him, but for some reason he just couldn't do it. He kept calling Edward to get some tips in the wee hours of the night so that Rose couldn't hear. He was freaking out so much that it was both sad and funny. I kept assuring him that Rose would say yes, but he stayed silent, afraid that she would say no.

"No. He called Edward six times this week."

"God, he's so dense that he can't even see that Rose will say yes in a heartbeat." Alice sighed as the doorbell sounded once again, causing children to get excited.

"Daddy's here!" Amie screamed at the top of her lungs and bolted out towards the door, hearing no warning from me. I quit warning her about running a long time ago because she never listened. Even Cory was following behind her as fast as he could with his chubby legs.

I heard Edward's voice along with some giggling as he greeted our kids. I admired that he managed to keep a special smile for them even after the busiest days at work. I loved my kids dearly, but sometimes I just wanted them not to scream for a few hours.

Edward entered the kitchen, carrying both Amie and Cory, and kissed Alice on her cheek before kissing me on the lips. Amie made a gagging sound that she learned from Emmett and Cory giggled.

"How's it going?" Edward asked, putting both kids on the ground, much to Amie's chagrin. She was a complete daddy's girl and adored the ground he walked on. That feeling was mutual since Edward was a fool when it came to her. He loved his daughter to death. Sulking, Amie went back to the living room to play with Elle and Cory followed behind her in a much slower yet cute pace.

"We cooked, baked and we're waiting for the rest of the party to come here," Alice chirped, putting the cake into the fridge. "Do you know when Mom and Dad are coming?"

"Don't know. Dad was still at the hospital when I left. Mom won't let them be late, though," he said, grabbing a muffin from the plate I just placed on the counter seconds ago.

When I gave him the stink eye, he just shrugged and kissed me, affectively avoiding any lashing from me. "It's great," he said, chewing the half of the muffin, spilling some crumbs to his shirt.

I shook my head and tried to hide my smile as I went back to my task at hand. I didn't like it when kids ate on foot and made a mess, so I made a point of warning Edward that he shouldn't do it either so that he wouldn't encourage the kids. Well, since the kids were not in the room, he could enjoy his muffin.

Before long Emmett and Rose arrived followed by Charlie and Sue and lastly Carlisle and Esme. Esme was a little put out that Carlisle had made them late, but her face lit up the moment she saw her three grandchildren playing on the floor.

"I can't believe he got this big this quick," Rose said, brushing Cory's hair as he snuggled up against her after he blew out his candles with the help of Amie. The sight of him trying to blow out the candles was the cutest thing and I was sure it melted everyone. He was such a charmer. Like his father.

"I know. It was like yesterday he was born," I said as my eyes found Edward who was chatting animately with Amie and Elle. I was sure they were talking him into playing with them, and he would surely cave.

"I want one, you know. Before I get too old," Rose declared, smiling as I heard a loud gasp from Emmett. He was holding his jeans pocket and looking nervous as he rocked slightly on his feet.

"What?" Rose asked, looking first at a really pale Emmett and then everyone in the room, but everyone was just as clueless as her.

"Cory," Emmett cleared his throat and Cory gave him a big smile in return. "I hope you won't hate me later for choosing your first birthday on earth to do this, but I just have to, you know," he mumbled, looking at Cory, who was already back to snuggling with Rose.

"Emmett, are you going to finally do it?" Edward asked, causing Alice to roar in laughter. I had the biggest urge to laugh as well, but I tried and managed to keep it inside for Emmett's sake. I knew it was a big deal for him.

Emmett cleared his throat again and walked to Rose, and knelt down in front of her as Rose's eyes got bigger.

"Will you please marry me?" he managed to croak out as he fumbled open the ring box with trembling hands.

Rose looked shocked. Really shocked. She kept looking at Emmett's face as her hand was still in Cory's hair who was almost asleep. When she didn't say anything, Emmett sighed shakily and started to get up as Rose suddenly stood up. She grabbed the ring from Emmett's hand and whispered something into his ear which made him grin like a fool.

"So, yes?" he asked, slightly jumping up and down.

"Of course, Emmett," Rose scolded lightly and jumped in his arms as everyone started to cheer for them.

"Finally," Edward muttered, coming next to me and wrapping his arms around me. "I thought he would spend years fretting over it."

"He was just a little nervous. Weren't you nervous before proposing to me?" I asked cheekily already knowing that he had freaked out.

"You know I was, love, but I didn't call my brother three times a week only to say the same things," he said, planting a kiss on my lips.

With all of these things happening around him, Cory was sound asleep, with his mouth half open like Edward's when he slept. Chuckling to himself, Edward gathered him into his arms.

"I'm going to put him in his crib."

It was a sight I saw time and time again, but I couldn't help but watch as he climbed the stairs with our son in his arms. Sometimes I couldn't believe I was married to him and I had his kids after everything we had to go through. Sometimes, it was really hard to believe. I sometimes found myself wondering what would happen if I never move back to Forks with Amie, and even the thought of it made me feel sad and empty. Obviously, it was meant to be and I was glad for that. I couldn't think about a life without him and my children.

"Bella!" Rose shrieked from the opposite side of the room, diverting my attention from Edward and showing me her hand which had a diamond ring now. Taking a last glance at Edward's retreating form and smiling to myself, I headed over to congratulate her.

_**Life**_

"Amie, please, just stay here and we'll talk," I begged my daughter for the tenth time today, but she was having none of it.

"No, I need some time to think. I'm just going to Aunt Rose's, Mom," she whined and shoveled a blue frilly shirt into her bag.

"Then, why are you packing as if you're going on a short vacation." I sighed, finally giving up and sitting on her bed which had a giant Hello Kitty blanket on it.

"Because I don't know how long I will stay and I don't want to come home to get clothes if neccessary," she grumbled as she started to tear up again. "I just don't…" she mumbled and burst into tears, throwing herself to her bed.

"Baby, shh," I gently cooed, stroking her hair as she continued to cry loudly. "You're making your dad really upset, you know? He loves you more than anything."

This caused her to sit up on her bed and wipe her tears with the back of her hands. "I'm sorry, too, but I need some space and time." With that, she continued to pack and I didn't tell her to stop any more, already knowing that her sixteen year old self wouldn't even listen to a word I said at this point.

It all started this afternoon. In the school's lunchroom.

Mrs. Green, Amie's drama teacher, asked them to bring their baby photos to use in a drama activity, and as a result we spent yesterday night going through Amie's baby photos. Finally, we managed to sort three out and none of them had Edward in them. Already knowing that her father was absent in the first four years of her life, Amie didn't think much of it. Or, so I thought. I knew she wondered about the reason behind his absence, but she never asked.

After drama class she had to face the past which was still lurking around sometimes in the form of Edward's self hating moments. Edward was still feeling guilty and didn't let it go, tormenting himself to no end. He lived with the fear that Amie would turn her back on him, and it seemed like today was the day when he had to face his fears.

Apparently, when a friend of Amie's asked her about the absence of her father from the photos, Amie said something about her parents breaking up and her dad not knowing about her until she was about four. Well, that was what we had told her anyway. However, the curious little friend of hers didn't let go of it and started to tell Amie how she heard that Mr. Cullen knew all about her but didn't want her, telling Mrs. Cullen, then Miss Swan to get an abortion.

Amie was in tears when she came home from school in the afternoon, barely able to walk without the assistance of Riley, her old friend, now boyfriend. Edward was instantly in protective mode thinking that Riley did something.

"Amie, aren't you supposed to be at school now?" he asked, but Amie stopped him short.

"Why didn't you want me, Daddy? Why did you guys lie to me?"

The moment the questions left her lips, Edward's face got pale and he opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but he stayed silent. Actually, the room was eerily silent.

"I know you asked Mom to get an abortion. How could you think about walking out on us, on me? I've always known there was some big reason behind your breakup, but I foolishly thought it was something personal between you and Mom so I decided not to ask," Amie got out in between her crying as Edward looked at her with equally wet eyes.

"How could you not want me, daddy?" Amie asked, sounding so broken and innocent that Edward just broke down then and there.

His hand went to his chest and his face twisted as if he was in intense physical pain. From the moment Amie entered the room, I had been trying to keep it cool and be the mediator between them, but seeing him like that, all sense left me and I ran to him, fearing that something was wrong with him. He was breathing rapidly and muttering under his breath. "Please, please, please."

Grabbing his head with both of my hands, I forced him to look at me, and his teary and fearful eyes broke my heart. He was so afraid of losing Amie.

"Edward, calm down. We're going to sort it out," I whispered to him, and he nodded, but fear was still dominant in his posture and eyes.

"Amie," I croaked out, looking at her wet and puffy face. "We… I… it's not something we were hiding on purpose. It's not important anymore. Let's just sit and talk."

"How's that not important?" she yelled, causing Edward to jump in his seat. "He left you. And it was not for some stupid shit. He didn't want me! It's freaking important, Mom!"

She turned on her heels and ran upstairs to her room, leaving a mess behind her. Edward. No matter what I said or did to calm him, he blocked me out and sat down on that damn couch and cried.

"I knew this day would come. I knew she would eventually hate me. Why wouldn't she?" he managed to croak out when he calmed down a little.

"She doesn't hate you, Edward. She loves you so much. That's why she's so upset," I said in a soothing manner, barely holding my tears as my eyes caught Riley who was lurking around the door awkwardly.

"How did it happen?" I asked him, knowing that Amie was in no state for answers right now. So, Riley told us everything and it was bad, so bad…

And here we were, in Amie's room, as she packed a small overnight bag for herself so that she could go to her aunt to have some space to think. I just wanted to tell her to shut the hell up and go embrace the man who was freaking out downstairs for her, but I knew better. I knew she needed to sort it out in her head first. I had no doubts that she would forgive her father before long. She loved him too much not to.

"I need to go now," she said, sniffling and grabbing her bag. "Tell Cory I'm sorry that I can't take him to football practice today."

She bolted out of the room and down the stairs without giving me any chance to say anything further. I understood how she felt right now. I had felt it years ago. Unwanted, left aside… That's why I couldn't say anything to her. It wouldn't matter what I said. She needed to face it herself. She needed to understand that her daddy made a mistake and now regretted it. I knew there was no point in listening to this from others if your mind and heart didn't actually believe it.

I watched Riley's car as they left and went downstairs to find Edward. He was the one to tell me to go after Amie, but the feeling that he needed me more was making me feel guilty for leaving him in that state. He was in the kitchen, sitting at the table and drinking water, his shoulders slumped.

"Honey, are you okay?" I sat down right next to him, honestly not knowing what to do. I could just pray that Amie would understand everything really soon.

"I couldn't even say anything. What's there to say anyway? She's right." His voice was hoarse and desperate.

"She's not right, Edward. She should know better. She's sixteen. She knows you love her. She's just surprised that's all."

"I should have known better then. I was twenty one," Edward spat out, shaking his head.

I didn't know what to do. I didn't want my family to fall apart because of that thing anymore. It was over for me. I forgave him and I almost forgot it. There were days when I remembered the past and felt a lump in my throat, but I wasn't accusing Edward anymore. I knew he suffered too, and I knew he worked so hard to get us back.

"You know, enough of this self pity. I thought it would be better to give her some time to think, but I can't stand seeing you like that. Come on, we're going to Emmett's." I stood up, holding his arm, feeling ready to drag him out.

"She doesn't want to talk to me or see me, Bella. I don't want to-"

"Edward," I groaned and he looked at me with wide shocked eyes. "She's your daughter for God's sake. She knows you love her. All the years you spent spoiling her is the proof. She needs to suck it up and listen. I can't bear to see both of you like that."

It took me two hours to give Edward enough courage to make him go to Emmett's. Edward stayed silent during our ride and watched the roads. Emmett was the one who opened the door with his son Leo on his hip and he threw a cautious glance at Edward.

"Hey, bro," he mumbled, gesturing us to go inside. "She's in there with Rose. Rose is trying to knock some sense into her."

Edward just nodded morosely and we followed Emmett inside their living room. Amie's eyes widened in guilt when she saw her father and I realised that she was already feeling bad about what she had done.

"Hi, guys. Welcome!" Rose exclaimed in an overly cheery tone. "We had a little chat with this young lady here."

Amie looked utterly tired and guilty as she gazed at Edward from the other side of the room. Edward was no different. He was holding my hand in a death grip and taking large gulps of breath.

"Ok, make up, drama queens," Rose scolded as I lightly laughed. Edward and Amie were so much alike, and that was the reason this was happening right now.

"Daddy," Amie muttered and Edward let out a shaky breath, dropping my hand. "I'm sorry I overreacted, but I could have never guessed it was something like that."

"Baby, come here," Edward choked and Amie gracefully ran into his arms. They embraced as Edward whispered something into her ear. She was smiling from ear to ear when they finally broke their embrace.

"You guys need to talk to her," Rose whispered, passing by me, holding Leo's twin sister Laura.

And we did talk. I started from the very beginning and told her how I loved her father and how the years we spent apart were a misery for me. I made sure that she knew that her father did everything he could to make up his mistakes and he made it up to me. When I told her how her daddy climbed up on a tree to see her in the middle of the night, Amie giggled, gazing lovingly at her father. So, I told her every little thing he did to win us over. Edward spoke too, and his was more heartbreaking. He told how he thought that he caused me to kill our baby and how this killed him for years. He told her his frustrations, fears and guilt and by the time he was finished, all of us were in tears. It was a hard thing for Edward and me to remember all of these things.

"Amie, don't ever think I don't love you," Edward sighed as Amie kept him in a hug. "You're so precious to me. I mourned for your loss before I even know you actually existed. I can't stand losing you now. Forgive me for everything."

My heart melted as I listened to his desperate voice. I knew it would kill him if Amie resented him.

"I love you, Daddy," she said as I breathed a sigh of relief. It was a given that she wouldn't stay mad at him. "I was so upset. Hearing about it hurt too much. I'm sorry if I upset you too."

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Edward said and Amie smiled her killer smile. Everything was good now.

To give them some space to talk, I went into the kitchen to find Rose. Both of her kids were in highchairs and she was preparing their food. Emmett and she stayed engaged for three years and had two huge fights which resulted in two breakups for them. When everyone thought it was impossible for them to get back together, they surprised us by secretly getting married. The first few years of their marriage had its ups and downs since they couldn't get pregnant. It bothered Rose to no end to learn that the reason was her and she decided to get treatment. It worked out well and four years ago they had their beautiful kids.

"Are they okay now?" Rose asked, placing a plate in front of Laura who clapped happily. She was like Emmett when it came to food. She also looked like Emmett with curly brown hair and blue eyes while Leo looked similar to Rose.

"Yeah, they're sobbing to each other now," I joked as she rolled her eyes. Joking aside, I was really happy and glad that we could sort this out without any more fuss.

"Mom, we're going to pick Lily up from kindergarten and Cory from football," Amie said, coming into the kitchen, dragging Edward behind her. He looked too content being dragged away like that anyway.

"Who dropped Cory to football?" I asked and Emmett waved to me, grinning.

"Amie told me and I picked him up from school."

"Thank you, Emmett." Cory loved his football practices and I was sure he would mope around for days if he had missed one.

We said goodbye to Emmett and Rose and headed to Cory's school to pick him up. He was sitting on the bleachers, waiting for us and looking all kinds of adorable.

"You're late. I hate it when people are late," he grumbled as he climbed into the car causing all three of us to roll our eyes. He was a mini Edward with his looks and personality. He was the littlest neat freak ever and he already had a study program that would guarantee him college entrance. He wanted to study medicine.

"Sorry, Cory," Amie sang as he glared at him. Amie liked to tease him to no end and he always let her. It was so fun to watch them.

We arrived at Lily's kindergarten in no time as they bickered and Edward got out to get her. After two surprise pregnancies, my third pregnancy was a planned one. When Edward had told me that he wanted a third kid, I resisted at first, but he had his ways of making me cave. Lily Allison Cullen was five years old and she was a perfect mix of Edward and me. She had his haircolor, which made Amie insanely jealous, and my eyes. She was the fussiest of all our three children and she got away with everything since she was the youngest. Well, to sum it up, her personality was exactly like her Aunt Alice's. Edward helped her to climb into the car and buckled her up, earning a kiss on the cheek.

"To home?" Edward asked me, starting the car.

"How about Port Angeles? We need to buy something for Carlisle." Carlisle had his retirement party this weekend.

"Okay. He's not fooling me though. I know he'll still come to work everyday to check things," Edward said, chuckling. "He drives Mom crazy. All she wants is that he takes a little break so that they can go on vacation."

"I'm hungry," Lily whined interrupting us and Edward frowned.

"Baby, we're going to Port Angeles, not home. Will you be able to wait for an hour?" Edward drove much slower now since he had his three kids in the car.

"Depends," Cory spoke before Lily. "If we're going to get ice cream after some pizza."

"Yes, and I want to see Elle. Can we just visit them briefly after shopping and dinner?" Amie asked as Lily nodded furiously.

They all started to talk at the same time, even surpassing the music which was pretty loud to begin with.

"Okay, okay," Edward yelled over the music, laughing. "Just stop. We can have pizza and ice cream and then visit Alice's," he said and threw me a mischevious glance. "If it's alright with your mom."

"Okay with me," I said and they made even more of a fuss.

"Thank you, Mommy, you're the best mommy ever and Daddy's the best," Lily declared loudly causing everyone to laugh.

"Yeah?" Edward asked, looking at Amie from the mirror.

"Yes, you're the best daddy," Amie replied and Edward's answering smile was beautiful.

I was thankful for whatever had brought me here to Forks again all those years ago. I was thankful that I was able to forgive him and move on. And I was thankful that I had these three amazing children with him. Our family was my everything. Edward was my everything. My past, my present and my future. He was the one and only for me.

He grabbed my hand and put it on his thigh before looking at me with questioning eyes. "You seem lost, love. Don't worry we won't let them go overboard with ice cream," he said, patting my hand, and the love I felt for him soared inside me. It was little things like that that made me fall in love with him more and more everyday. His thoughtfulness, love, tenderness, his everything.

"I love you," I said and watched as a smile took over his face.

"I love you, too, honey," he said, kissing my hand and putting it back to his knee.

He turned to look at the road with a wide smile on his face that made me smile too. The song on the radio, the cool spring breeze which was coming inside from the half open window, our kids bickering, feeling of his hand on my own… It was perfect. And I had no doubt that many perfect days were waiting for us. My heart's victory over my mind took us here, and I didn't regret even for a minute putting my pride aside and forgiving him. My life wouldn't be the same without him, and my life was perfect like that.

The End…

* * *

Hi, everyone!

So, this is the epilogue. I hope you like it:)

Writing this fic was an amazing experience for me. I learned a lot of things and met really nice people. Your amazing reviews made me smile and encouraged me to write more. Knowing that you guys read and enjoyed this means a lot to me. So, thank you...

I want to thank my beta **adt216** for fixing my mess and always helping me. She's the greatest. This story wouldn't be the same without her.

I want to thank my beautiful friend Maria ( .continued.2) for being my friend:) She's the one who listens to my whining about petty things and she never tells me to shut up:)

That's all. I'm going back to praying now. I'm not sure if Water for Elephants is going to be released in my local movie theatre, so that's why I'm praying. I really want to see it! Pray for me? :)

Have a nice day!

E.


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